Could Delaying School Save Texas’ Power Grid?

State Rep. Jared Patterson is proposing to start Texas schools after Labor Day, saying it would alleviate the pressure on the state’s power grid, save money, and protect students from August’s heat. Despite this, some experts have expressed skepticism.

“It really doesn’t make common sense to be cooling down the largest buildings in almost every community in this state, thousands of buildings, during the hottest month of the year,” Patterson, a Republican, told the Dallas Morning News.

He argued that the change could help reduce energy consumption and help schools reduce money on electricity bills, however, experts told the Morning News that the Texas power grid produced abundant solar power during school hours this August, and that electricity prices were relatively low last month.

“I have four kids, they’re all in public school. I would love for schools to open after Labor Day,” Doug Lewin, of the Texas Energy and Power Newsletter, told the Dallas Morning News. “This isn’t the reason to do it.”

Ed Hirs, an energy economics fellow at the University of Houston, suggests that the proposed change might not have a significant impact on grid strain. He and others advocate for alternative solutions, such as installing solar panels on school buildings and incorporating on-site battery storage to lower energy bills and provide emergency power during outages.

The idea of delaying the school start date has been debated in Texas for decades. Some school administrators have pushed for earlier starts to meet state mandates for minimum instruction times, however, the hospitality industry argued that an earlier start could limit family’s vacation time and harm communities depending on tourism.

Patterson addressed concerns about maintaining instruction time, arguing schools could lengthen days, reduce breaks, or extend the school year into May, when temperatures are cooler.

The proposed bill, which Patterson is currently drafting, will be introduced in the next legislative session.