School Calendar-Related Reports By Academics and Other Professionals
Watch this space for testimony and reports to school boards
and other government bodies on school
calendar issues.
We welcome contributions to this site from academics and professionals who have
presented reports with research and information in opposition to calendar
proposals that shrink summer vacation for schoolchildren. Drop us an
e-mail note about your report to: bussardre@aol.com
__________________
The following report from the University of South Carolina documents the devastating economic impact of school calendar change, especially early school start dates, to communities and states, especially those that rely on summer business.
South
Carolina Early School Start Dates
and the South Carolina Travel & Tourism
Industries
An Analysis of Economic & Tax Revenue Impacts
|
Report
by:
Stephen
C. Morse, Ph.D.
Economist
School
of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management
College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
Ph:
(803) 7773458
e-mail:
smorse@sc.edu
University
of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
September
2002
Executive Summary
South Carolina Early School Start Dates and the
South Carolina
Travel and Tourism Industries
Purpose
of the Study
The purpose
of this report is to examine the effects and impacts of early school
start dates in South Carolina on the Travel and Tourism economy of the
State.
Findings
of the Study
ü
South Carolina public schools have begun earlier and
earlier in August, taking away up to 3 weeks of summer August vacation
time from families with children in South Carolina public schools.
ü
Early school start dates shorten the August vacation
season in South Carolina and is associated with decreased August tourism
demand, costing the State’s largest industry – tourism – millions
in lost economic activity and millions in lost State and local tax
revenues.
ü
Early school start dates in South Carolina are associated
with lower August tourist business activity including decreased August
hotel occupancy rates, decreased August State and local accommodations
taxes generated, decreased State and local sales tax generated, and
decreased August employment in tourist areas.
ü
Decreased August tourist activity as schools start
earlier, is not off-set by increases in tourist activity in other summer
months.
ü
Starting schools in August mean schools must cool
facilities for children during the hottest month of the year - August,
costing unnecessary utility expenses by starting early, as opposed to
starting after Labor Day in September.
ü One conservative scenario estimates economic and tax revenue impacts where as little as 4 out of 10 families with children in South Carolina take one additional vacation if August summer vacation were restored; plus induced additional families from in-state and out-of-state family vacations, would generate $180 million in total economic impact, $6.03 million is State tax revenues, $2.34 million in local tax revenues, and $8.37 million in total State and local tax revenues.
South Carolina Early School Start Dates and
the South Carolina
Travel and Tourism Industries
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this report is to examine the
effects and impacts of early school start dates in South Carolina on the
Travel and Tourism economy of the State. In August 2002, the South
Carolina Department of Education requested Dr. Steve Morse, economist
and professor in the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management
at the University of South Carolina, conduct an impact study to examine
the effects of early school start dates on the State’s travel and
tourism industry.
Background
In 2002, the South Carolina state legislature
examined the possibility of establishing a uniform school start date for
SC public schools. To
examine the issue further, the legislature directed the SC Department of
Education to establish a task force.
The SC legislative bill establishing the task force is below:
“Section 59-5-71. The General Assembly declares that it is in the best interest of the students of South Carolina for a uniform beginning date for the annual school term to be developed and adopted by the State Board of Education to be implemented in all public schools of the State. Therefore, the State Board of Education is directed to establish a task force comprised of superintendents, principals, teachers, parents, school board members, and representatives of business and industry, including tourism-related industries no later than July 1, 2002. The task force to the fullest extent possible shall be equally divided among proponents of existing or earlier starting dates for schools, proponents of later starting dates for schools, including proponents for dates after Labor Day, and persons who legitimately have no preferences. The task force shall make recommendations to the board including, but not limited to, the desirability of and if agreed upon a suggested uniform beginning date for the annual school term. The task force shall report its findings to the State Board of Education no later than October 15, 2002.” (Source: SC State Legislature & SC Department of Education)
History of South Carolina School Start Dates
The table below shows South Carolina public
school start dates for nine academic years from 94-95 to 02-03. The average school start date has become earlier in August
from a 1994 average of August 20 to a 2002 average of August 11.
The earliest start data in 1994 was August 16, and in 2002
earlier at August 5.
|
South
Carolina Public School Start
Dates, 1994 - 2002 |
|||
|
Academic Year |
Average School Start Date |
Latest School Start Date |
Earliest School Start Date |
|
94-95 |
Aug. 20 |
Aug. 26 |
Aug. 16 |
|
95-96 |
Aug. 19 |
Aug. 28 |
Aug. 10 |
|
96-97 |
Aug. 17 |
Sept. 3 |
Aug. 9 |
|
97-98 |
Aug. 17 |
Sept. 2 |
Aug. 11 |
|
98-99 |
Aug. 14 |
Aug. 24 |
Aug. 6 |
|
99-00 |
Aug. 15 |
Sept. 7 |
Aug. 5 |
|
00-01 |
Aug. 11 |
Aug. 21 |
Aug. 3 |
|
01-02 |
Aug. 12 |
Aug. 20 |
Aug. 6 |
|
02-03 |
Aug. 11 |
Aug. 26 |
Aug. 5 |
|
Source:
SC Dept. of Education |
|||
Early School Start Dates and Statewide Tourism Demand
As
South Carolina school start dates have been earlier and earlier since
1997, more and more of the August vacation season has been lost.
In 1997 the earliest school start date was August 11, while in
2002 the earliest school start date was August 5.
Below, the South Carolina statewide hotel and lodging occupancy
rates are shown for August and May over a five-year period from 1997 to
2001. The data indicate
that since schools starts dates have become earlier and more of the
August summer vacation season is lost, August hotel occupancy rates have
decreased statewide.
In addition, less summer vacation opportunity in August and lower August hotel occupancy rates statewide are reflected in the 2% State Accommodations Tax revenue collected. In particular, the graphs below shows that since 1997, August state tax revenue generated from the 2% accommodations taxes have decreased.
Since 1997, August statewide 2% accommodations taxes have deceased.
%
share summer hotel taxes
Below, August percent share of summer hotel taxes decrease while
June & July share increases. Total summer hotel taxes equal June +
July + August taxes generated. Less vacation time for SC residents is
associated with decreasing share of August hotel taxes generated.
The graph below shows the change in attendance from month to month at SC amusement and theme parks. In 2001, attendance at SC amusement and theme parks decreased by the largest percent (13%) in August. This decrease in attendance also results in less SC admissions tax revenues not generated by this decreased August attendance.
Early School Start Dates and Coastal Tourism Demand
Coastal areas of South Carolina generate the
majority of tourism demand. Of
all visitors to South Carolina in 2000, coastal areas generated 64% of
all visitors, the midlands 19%, and the upstate 17% (Source: SC PRT). This section examines the relationship between early school
start dates and effects on tourism in coastal areas of South Carolina.
Since 1997, hotel occupancy rates in Myrtle Beach for August and May have decreased.
Horry County generates the largest share of the 2%
hotel tax in the State. However,
since 1997 the August percent contributed to the Horry County yearly
total has decreased.
Hotel occupancy rates for SC, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island, and Charleston are shown below from 1997 – 2001 for May, June July, August and September.
|
South Carolina hotel occupancy
rates, May – Sept., 1997 – 2001 |
|||||
Month |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
May |
66.2% |
64.8% |
63.7% |
64.2% |
61.5% |
|
June |
68.4% |
69.5% |
68.5% |
70.3% |
66.2% |
|
July |
72.7% |
73.6% |
73.8% |
70.4% |
67.3% |
|
August |
70.7% |
67.9% |
64.7% |
62.8% |
60.7% |
|
Sept |
59.5% |
63.5% |
57.0% |
57.3% |
51.3% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Myrtle Beach hotel occupancy
rates, May – Sept., 1997 – 2001 |
|||||
|
Month |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
May |
69.5% |
66.6% |
64.8% |
64.2% |
61.2% |
|
June |
73.3% |
75.4% |
74.9% |
78.2% |
70.4% |
|
July |
83.3% |
83.6% |
85.3% |
84.2% |
79.9% |
|
August |
81.1% |
73.2% |
71.3% |
68.5% |
68.2% |
|
Sept |
64.8% |
64.2% |
55.9% |
58.2% |
52.4% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hilton Head Island hotel
occupancy rates, May – Sept., 1997 – 2001 |
|||||
|
Month |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
May |
73.5% |
75.8% |
73.2% |
74.9% |
69.8% |
|
June |
74.8% |
80.6% |
76.4% |
83.4% |
81.2% |
|
July |
77.1% |
83.4% |
83.4% |
81.1% |
75.1% |
|
August |
77.1% |
74.9% |
70.8% |
70.6% |
66.3% |
|
Sept |
66.4% |
67.4% |
52.8% |
64.6% |
46.7% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charleston hotel occupancy rates, May – Sept., 1997 – 2001 |
|||||
|
Month |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
May |
80.3% |
80.5% |
74.2% |
77.7% |
73.7% |
|
June |
76.1% |
77.7% |
74.9% |
77.9% |
72.2% |
|
July |
73.3% |
78.6% |
75.6% |
73.1% |
67.6% |
|
August |
73.7% |
76.8% |
64.8% |
70.9% |
63.0% |
Sept |
67.1% |
76.5% |
58.3% |
69.5% |
54.9% |
·
Statewide,
August hotel occupancy rates have decreased 10% since 1997.
·
Myrtle
Beach hotel occupancy rates for August have decreased 12.9% since 1997.
·
Hilton
Head Island hotel occupancy rates for August have decreased 10.8% since
1997.
·
Charleston
hotel occupancy rates for August have decreased 10.7% since 1997.
Do early school start
dates mean SC tourists shift summer vacation times from August to other
months? No. Statewide, the
decrease in August occupancy rates since 1997 have not been off-set by
gains in other summer months. For
example, from 1997 to 2001 SC August occupancy rates decreased by 10%
while occupancy rates for May, June, July and September did not
increase.
Thus statewide, there is
no trade-off from lower August occupancy rates and higher rates in other
summer months indicating there is no shifting in tourism visitor
patterns from early school start dates.
The same patterns follow no shifting of vacation time from August
to other months for Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island, and Charleston.
Below, the August share of summer hotel taxes have been decreasing since 1997 and not off-set by June and July taxes generated, indicating August lost vacation time is associated with lower August business activity.
Below, Horry County’s
August share of July + August hotel taxes have decreased since 1996.
Unemployment Trends
Since 1998, August unemployment in Horry County has increased. This effect is in August and reflects the decreased tourist demand and reduced business activity.
August Horry County unemployed workers have increased 40% from 1998 to 2001, indicating decreased business activity in the county.
Shorter August Summer Vacation Season and Tourism Attractions
In public hearings held
in August 2002 in South Carolina by the SC Department of Education’s
Uniform Start Date Task Force Committee, several tourist business owners
and operators expressed how the shortened August summer vacation season
has impacted employment, revenues and seasonal openings.
Mark Lazarus, owner of
water theme park attractions in Horry County, SC and Myrtle Beach area
said opening schools in SC earlier in August has caused many of his
businesses to close early in the season because decreased tourist
demand, and decreased labor supply of high school students. Mr. Lazarus
said closing his water parks early affects less payroll in the county,
less opportunities for meaningful employment for youth, less
opportunities for businesses making contributions to local schools, and
less sales and amusement taxes generated.
Jodie Roberts Smith,
public relations manager with Carowinds theme parks in York County, SC
told representatives of the task force that all other theme parks owned
by Carowinds in other states have a 12-week summer season.
Ms. Smith said that as a result of early school start dates,
Carowinds in York County, SC operates with a reduced summer season of
only 10-weeks. This reduced
summer season generated approximately an extra 100,000 visitors, causing
over $300,000 less in payroll for youth, and generated less sales taxes
and admissions taxes that go to fund education.
Mr. Gary Loftus,
hotelier and past president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
claimed that when school started in August, vacationers throughout South
Carolina decrease by two-thirds after August 10.
In addition, he said hotel room rates decrease by 25% - 40%
because of the lower demand in August after schools open.
Although other business
owners and managers of tourist attractions stated the shortened August
summer vacation season negatively affected revenues, employment and
taxes, the key point is that early school start dates negatively impact
South Carolina’s largest industry – tourism.
Economic Impact from Families with School Children
With schools starting
earlier in August, summer vacation time for South Carolina families have
been shortened. Less summer
vacation time means less economic impact from SC residents traveling in
the State.
To measure the economic
impact on early school starts on SC residents with children attending
public schools, the number of potential family vacations lost must be
estimated. In 2001, there
were 669,342 children in South Carolina public schools.
Using an average of two children per family, these children
represent approximately 334,671 families with school children in the
State.
Using average travel
patterns reported by surveys from the South Carolina Department of
Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SC-PRT), in-state residents take 36% of
their trips as day-trips, and the remaining 64% as overnight travelers
in the State. The SC-PRT
also estimates that in-state tourists spend an average of $122.17 per
trip per party when traveling; while in-state overnighter travelers are
estimated to spend $362.62 per trip per party.
Both estimates exclude transportation costs, assuming
day-trippers have $20 transportation cost and overnighters have $75
transportation costs, this would estimate day-trippers spending to be
$142.17 per trip per party, and overnighters spending to be $437.62.
The following table shows the economic impact of potential spending by South Carolina families with school children. The analysis uses a range of 10% of families taking one additional vacation to 100% of families taking one additional vacation. Using the patterns of average SC residents traveling in-state described above, day-trip and overnight tourist spending is estimated. The total amount of tourist spending by SC families is direct spending in the SC economy, which when re-spent provides a multiplier effect or indirect spending generated. This study uses a multiplier of 2.3 for the statewide indirect effect and is reflected in the total economic impact in column 5. The multiplier of 2.3 is considered a modest multiplier that in some areas can be as high as 3.0 in estimating re-spending effects.
|
Economic Impact of Potential Vacation
Spending by South Carolina Families with School Children |
||||
|
(Col
1) If
this percent of
SC families with school
children took
1 additional SC
vacation… |
(Col 2)
Then spending from day-trip travelers would be… |
(Col 3)
And
spending From overnight travelers would be… |
(Col
4)
And
total (day
+ overnight) direct
spending would
be… |
(Col
5)
Having
a total (direct
+ indirect) economic
impact of
this much spending
generated in
the SC economy… |
|
10% |
$1,712,881 |
$9,373,330 |
$11,086,211 |
$25,489,283 |
|
20% |
3,425,772 |
18,746,660 |
22,172,432 |
50,996,593 |
|
30% |
5,138,643 |
28,119,990 |
33,258,633 |
76,494,855 |
|
40% |
6,953,887 |
38,053,474 |
45,007,361 |
103,516,193 |
|
50% |
8,564,406 |
46,866,651 |
55,431,057 |
127,494,131 |
|
60% |
10,277,287 |
56,239,981 |
66,517,268 |
152,989,714 |
|
70% |
11,990,168 |
65,613,311 |
77,603,479 |
178,488,007 |
|
80% |
13,703,049 |
74,986,642 |
88,689,691 |
203,986,283 |
|
90% |
15,415,930 |
84,359,972 |
99,775,902 |
229,484,576 |
|
100% |
17,128,863 |
93,733,582 |
110,862,440 |
254,983,610 |
Background Information on Tax Revenue Impacts
State Sales
Tax
South Carolina levies a 5% State sales tax on most good and services in the hospitality and tourism industry including food in restaurants, lodging, and shopping purchases which make up most spending by in-state tourists.
State
Accommodations Taxes
South Carolina levies 2%
tax on the price of accommodations (hotels, motels, bed &
breakfasts) in addition to the State sales tax of 5%.
Tourist spending estimated to be allocated to hotels and other
lodging equal 36% of spending. Therefore,
State accommodations taxes are estimated based on 36% of total tourist
spending allocated to hotels and lodging expenses.
State
Admissions Tax
South Carolina levies a 5% admission tax on most
events and theme parks .
State
Income Taxes
The maximum State income
tax rate is 7% on income over $12,000 and declining percentages with
lower incomes. Because many
employees are seasonal, a lower income tax rate of 6% is used here.
The 6% tax rate is used on the portion of tourist spending that
reflects labor costs, here assumed to be 35% of spending.
State
Beverage Alcohol Taxes
Taxes generated by sales of beer, wine and
spirits to tourist are generated as a State tax revenue source for South
Carolina. It is difficult
to estimate these taxes, but increased tourism demand will certainly
increase tax revenues generated from the sale on on-premise and
off-premise sales. The tax
revenue generated from these beverage alcohol sales are not included in
this study.
State
Corporate Income Taxes
South Carolina corporate
income tax is 5%, however the contribution of corporate income taxes are
not included here as this information is not readily defined or
available from the South Carolina Department of Revenue.
Local Taxes
South Carolina allows
counties and municipalities to add on sales and accommodations taxes to
required state taxes. Local
taxes are retained locally for local spending projects and to help
support local education. For
this study, local tax rates of 3% is used to estimate local tax revenues
which include an additional 2% local accommodations tax and 1% local
sales tax.
State and Local Tax Revenues Generated
|
State
& Local Tax Revenues Generated per year by Vacation Spending
of South Carolina Families with School Children |
|||||||
|
|
State
Tax Revenues Generated per year |
Local Taxes Generated per year |
Total State + Local Taxes Generated per year |
||||
|
(Col
1) If
this percent of
SC families with school
children took
1 additional SC
vacation per year |
(Col
7) Then
this much in
State accommo-dation tax
revenue will
be generated
per year |
(Col
8) Then
this much in State sales & admissions taxes will be generated per year |
(Col
9) Then
this much in
State income taxes will be generated per year |
(Col
10) Then
this much In
total State taxes will be generated per year |
(Col
11) Then
this much in
local accommo-dations
and sales taxe revenu will
be generated per year |
(Col
12) Then
this much In
total state & local taxes
will be generated
per year |
|
|
10% |
$67,487 |
$554,310 |
$232,810 |
$854,607 |
$332,586 |
$1,187,193 |
|
|
20% |
134,975 |
1,108,621 |
465,821 |
1,709,417 |
665,172 |
2,374,589 |
|
|
30% |
202,246 |
1,662,931 |
698,431 |
2,563,608 |
997,758 |
3,561,366 |
|
|
40% |
273,985 |
2,250,368 |
945,154 |
3,469,507 |
1,350,220 |
4,819,727 |
|
|
50% |
337,439 |
2,771,552 |
1,164,052 |
4,274,043 |
1,662,931 |
5,936,974 |
|
|
60% |
404,927 |
3,325,863 |
1,396,862 |
5,127,652 |
1,995,518 |
7,123,170 |
|
|
70% |
472,415 |
3,880,173 |
1,629,673 |
5,982,261 |
2,328,104 |
8,310,365 |
|
|
80% |
539,903 |
4,434,484 |
1,862,483 |
6,836,870 |
2,660,690 |
9,497,560 |
|
|
90% |
607,391 |
4,988,795 |
2,095,293 |
7,691,479 |
2,993,277 |
10,684,756 |
|
|
100% |
674,881 |
5,543,122 |
2,328,111 |
8,546,114 |
3,325,873 |
11,871,987 |
|
The following table estimates State and local tax revenues generated from one additional vacation from portions of SC families with school children.
Additional Tourism Spending by Other In-state and
Out-of-state Tourists
Restoration of the full August summer vacation
season will not only increase demand from in-state SC families with
children, but also will increase demand from other tourists inside and
outside the state. With the
lost August vacation period restored,
more SC tourist related businesses will stay open as the supply of labor
is not reduced when school opens. At
public hearings, business owners from across the state said early August
school starts drained youth employment and forced businesses to close
early during August by up to three weeks. Water Parks in Myrtle Beach and
amusement theme parks in York County reported shorter August seasons as a
result in early August school start dates.
Myrtle Beach tourism officials report tourist
activity decreases substantially during the last three weeks of the
August. Beginning August 10th,
Myrtle Beach tourism officials estimate tourists and vacationers decrease
by approximately two-thirds. In
Myrtle Beach, lower tourism demand in August is reflected in the decrease
in August hotel occupancy rates, decreased accommodations taxes collected
in Horry County for August, decrease in hotel room rates as demand is
lower, higher worker unemployment rates and the early closing of many
tourist related businesses in August.
In addition, Myrtle Beach tourism officials say both in-state and
out-of-state tourist decreases from 300,000 to 240,000 visitors per day
after August 10th each year because of early school openings.
This decrease in tourists by 60,000 per day includes both in-state
and out-of-state tourists to the area and is estimated to produce a loss
of $178 million to the Grand Strand area.
Myrtle Beach tourist officials state that if this pattern is true
across South Carolina, statewide the State could be losing up to $400
million per year from both in-state and out-of-state
lost tourist revenues from the shorter August vacation season.
Estimating the impact of increased tourist demand from additional in-state and out-of-state tourist is difficult. Also, South Carolina tourist destinations may embark on new marketing campaigns that increase demand from in-state and out-of-state tourist. One method would assume August tourist activity levels in hotels, restaurants, retail shopping areas and attractions would not decease as they do now in August, but be maintained at July levels. Restoration of the full August vacation season to will increase demand for tourism is South Carolina from in-state and out-of-state tourists. Increasing the August tourist season by two weeks will have a substantial impact on state and local revenues generated by this additional tourism period.
Weather and Heat Related Factors of Early School
Openings
Early school starts in August instead of early
September, place children into schools during the hottest month of the
year. The weather related
trade-off to be examined is children starting school during the hottest
time of the year the last three weeks in August, and ending school during
the cooler weather time of the last three weeks in May.
Therefore, the temperature issue of August vs. May must be examined
in terms of energy demand during these periods.
From the following table of average maximum temperatures in selected South Carolina cities, August has an average higher temperature than May across all cities shown. Energy costs are difficult to determine as each school district has different energy suppliers and different energy rates. Although a detailed estimate of energy costs in August vs. May requires more data and individual district energy costs during these months, clearly the higher temperatures in August will cost more to cool schools than the lower temperatures in May.
|
|
May
& August Average Maximum Temperatures for SC Cities |
|
||||
|
|
South
Carolina City |
Average
Maximum Temp (ºF)
1971 - 2000 |
||||
|
|
May |
August |
||||
|
|
Columbia |
83.6 |
90.3 |
|||
|
|
Beaufort |
83.1 |
88.8 |
|||
|
|
Charleston |
83.0 |
89.2 |
|||
|
|
Clemson |
79.4 |
87.9 |
|||
|
|
Conway |
82.3 |
89.1 |
|||
|
|
Florence |
82.9 |
89.4 |
|||
|
|
Greenville |
79.2 |
87.0 |
|||
|
|
Orangeburg |
83.7 |
90.3 |
|||
|
|
Rock Hill |
80.1 |
87.9 |
|||
|
Source: SC State Climatologist & National Weather Service |
|
|||||
A Sample Scenario of Impacts
Estimating additional tourist spending and
associated tax revenue impacts into a prediction of tourist behavior with
restoration of the August vacation season required assumptions about the
level of tourist activity with an extended August season.
However, in the absence of unbiased surveys of tourist propensity
of additional vacation travel, one can use previous impacts to predict
results of a variety of scenarios.
For example, assuming 4 out of 10 South Carolina
families with children in public would take an additional vacation with
the restoration of the August vacation season and later school start
dates, one can estimate the potential economic and tax revenue impacts
from this behavior. Also, if one assumes the additional tourist activity
from other in-state and out-of-state tourists during August would increase
by an amount equivalent to the level of families with school children, an
estimation of potential economic and tax revenue impact under this
scenario can be made.
|
If this amount of additional tourist activity is generated.. |
Then total economic impact of tourist spending is… |
Then total South Carolina State tax revenues generated will be… |
And total local taxes generated will be… |
Then total State + local taxes generated will be… |
|
40%
of SC families with school children take 1 additional trip (or
133,868 family trips) |
$103.51
million |
$3.47million |
$1.35
million |
$4.82
million |
|
Demand
from 100,401 families
of out-of-state & in-state other tourists |
$76.49
million |
$2.56
million |
$0.998
million |
$3.55
million |
|
Total
Impacts |
$180.0
million |
$6.03
million |
$2.34
million |
$8.37
million |
To summarize the economic and tax revenue impacts from this particular scenario:
ü
40% of SC families with children in school taking one
additional vacation in SC plus an additional 100,401 induced family
vacations from other out-of-state and in-state tourists will:
Ø
generate an estimated $180 million of economic impact
in tourism areas per year,
Ø
generate an estimated $6.03 million in State tax
revenues per year,
Ø
add an estimated $2.34 million in local tax revenues
per year, and
Ø add an estimated total State and local tax revenues of $8.37 million per year.
Geographic Distribution of the Impacts from this
Scenario
The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation,
and Tourism (SC-PRT) tracks tourist spending geographically in the State.
Studies indicate tourism spending in South Carolina is divided
geographically in the following regions of the State:
Coastal Region of SC 64.6% of all tourists
Midlands Region of SC 20.0% of all tourists
Upstate Region of SC
15.4% of all tourists
Total
100% of all tourists
Where:
Coastal SC region includes these counties:
Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry,
and Jasper.
Midlands SC region includes these counties: Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda, Sumter, and Williamsburg.
Upstate region includes these counties:
Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Edgefield,
Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, McCormick,
Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, Union, and York.
Using the above detailed possible spending scenario
of increased tourist spending from restoration of August vacation season,
the geographic distribution of the total impacts of the economy and tax
revenues are as shown in the following table.
|
Geographic Distribution of
Economic Impacts and Tax Revenue Impacts of Possible Scenario |
|||
|
Total State impact from possible scenario |
Coastal SC region’s contribution to total State impact (64.6%) |
Midlands SC region’s contribution to total State impact (20.0%) |
Upstate SC region’s contribution to total State impact (15.4%) |
|
|
$116.3 million |
$36.0 million |
$27.7 million |
|
|
$3.9 million |
$1.20 million |
$0.93 million |
|
|
$1.51 million |
$0.468 million |
$0.362 million |
|
|
$5.4 million |
$1.67 million |
$1.29 million |
Additional Possible Scenarios
The above analysis is but one of many scenarios of
the impacts of restoring the August vacation season with later school
start dates. There are many
other possible scenarios, all dependent on how in-state and out-of-state
tourists respond to a longer vacation season in South Carolina.
The above scenario demonstrated uses a conservative
estimate of tourist response by assuming only 4 out of 10 families with
children in South Carolina school would take an additional vacation in SC
and also the longer vacation season would induce approximately 100,000
other in-state and out-of-state family tourists trips. There are scenarios under less conservative assumptions that
would estimate higher economic impacts and tax revenues, and scenarios
under more conservative assumptions that would estimate lower economic
impacts and tax revenues generated.
Conclusion and Summary
ü
South Carolina public schools have begun earlier and earlier
in August, taking away up to 3 weeks of summer August vacation time from
families with children in South Carolina public schools.
ü
Early school start dates shorten the August vacation season
in South Carolina and is associated with decreased August tourism demand,
costing the State’s largest industry – tourism – millions in lost
economic activity and millions in lost State and local tax revenues.
ü
Early school start dates in South Carolina are associated
with lower August tourist business activity including decreased August
hotel occupancy rates, decreased August State and local accommodations
taxes generated, decreased State and local sales tax generated, and
decreased August employment in tourist areas.
ü Decreased August tourist activity as schools start earlier, are not off-set by increases in tourist activity in other summer months.
ü
Starting schools in August mean schools must cool facilities
for children during the hottest month of the year - August, costing
unnecessary utility expenses by starting early, as opposed to starting
after Labor Day in September.
ü One scenario estimates economic and tax revenue impacts where as little as 4 out of 10 families with children in South Carolina take one additional vacation if August summer vacation were restored; plus an induced additional 100,000 families from in-state and out-of-state family vacations would generate $180 million in total economic impact, $6.03 million is State tax revenues, $2.34 million in local tax revenues, and $8.37 million in total State and local tax revenues.
_________________________________________________________________________
Noteworthy
articles
http://www.cta.org/cal_educator/v4i5/feature_shadow.html
about the nightmare of year-round schools in Anaheim, Calif., in the
shadow of Disneyland.
Coming soon: Reports to school boards from two psychologists on the importance of summer leisure and the fallacies of "summer learning loss" theories used to sell school calendar change.