COLUMBIA -- South Carolina's public schools would open around Labor Day in 2004 under a plan approved by the State Board of Education in a 9-8 vote Wednesday.

Many schools began starting school in early August to give students more instruction time before high-stakes standardized tests in the spring.

The tourism industry, the state's biggest business, asked for a later start date.

An ad hoc committee held public meetings around the state but could not reach a consensus.

After hearing from educators, parents and legislators, the board voted Wednesday to require all public schools to open within a 10-day window between the last Monday before Labor Day and the Wednesday after Labor Day. Schools which operate on a year-round calendar would be exempt.

Dr. Anne Crook, a board member from St. Matthews, voted against the measure.

The debate is not over, says House Education Chairman Ronny Townsend, who wants local school trustees to retain the right to set their own calendars.

The Anderson Republican said the board misinterpreted the Legislature's instruction to work with a task force and study the issue, not implement a plan.

Townsend and Rep. Bob Walker, R-Landrum, say they expect legislators to file local bills to exempt their school districts from the uniform start date.

"I'm just unhappy it didn't come back to us," said Walker, a House Education Committee member. "I think Ronny and I will probably introduce legislation that will subvert everything that's gone on here."

"All the laws of this state say we need to pick a start date," said Education Board Vice Chairman Greg Killian of Myrtle Beach. Now, unless the Legislature acts otherwise, "we have a start date."

The tourism industry says its revenues and the state's economy have been hurt since schools began opening in early August. A later start date means restaurants, hotels and other tourism-related businesses may keep their student employees a little longer.

Ashby Ward, president and chief executive of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, said he was disappointed the debate has painted the tourism industry as anti-children.

"We can all do this together," he told the board.

Greenville County Superintendent Bill Harner commended the board for its action.

Harner said parents want their children to have enough time to learn the material on the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests but they think schools start too early. "This is not an instructional issue."

Schools could be in session until mid-June if they didn't start until after Labor Day.

The uniform start date also may mean the PACT exams will be administered later. That would require school report cards, which are a factor in school funding, be issued later. The report cards, which show how well schools are performing from year to year, currently are due Nov. 1.

Representatives from the South Carolina School Boards Association, the South Carolina Association of School Administrators and the Palmetto State Teachers Association all asked the board to leave school calendars in local hands.

"If we keep our focus on kids, then we'll make the right decision," said Elizabeth Gressette, executive director of the 7,000-member Palmetto State Teachers Association.

Walker said he'd fight to make sure that happens.

"It's not the state's responsibility to tell these people what to do," he said.

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