Summer will be getting a little bit shorter for Oxford students in the coming year.

School districts throughout Michigan are facing a state mandate to provide at least 180 days of instruction in 2016-17, up from 175 days the past three years, 170 days in 2012-13 and 165 days before that.

It’s up to school officials to decide how to add the extra time.

For the Oxford school district, this means students will return from summer break on Monday, Aug. 28.

The change has drawn renewed attention to the 2005 state law that prevents public schools from opening until after Labor Day.

Some districts have waivers to begin school before the September holiday.

Oxford Schools was one of those districts, as officials received approval to start early from the Michigan Department of Education in mid-November, according to Superintendent Tim Throne.

“This is one of those things that I wish the state would get out of the way and let local control rule,” Throne said. “That’s where the best decisions are made.”

Though there will be costs associated with operating the schools for five additional days, Throne said those extra days will not have any negative impact on the district’s general fund budget.

“There are additional costs. Some we had pre-planned for, some we had not, but overall we’re fine,” Throne assured. “We budgeted for the additional days and we’ll be good to go.”

According to Throne, even before the state-mandated changes, many Oxford students have been returning to school by late August, as they participate in extracurricular activities and athletics.

“While we know these changes could impact some, we’re trying to do what’s best for all and we’re trying to notify people as early as possible, so that as few travel plans can be impacted as possible,” said Throne.

Though the decision to begin school before Labor Day may not be a popular one, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Nancy Latowski said these changes will likely provide some benefits to Oxford students.

According to Latowski, this change will allow the district to begin moving towards a “balanced calendar,” where students get longer breaks throughout the school year, instead of a lengthy summer-break.

“(The state) increased the length of the school year and we felt that putting the extra days in the early stages of the school year would help better prepare the students, as far as state testing and everything,” Latowski said. “The kids are much more receptive earlier in the year than when you add it at the end of the year.”

Moving up the start date will not affect the end of the fall semester for middle and high school students, according to Latowski. The semester will still continue for two weeks after students return in January in order to meet school day requirements.

Elementary schools will not be affected, as they operate under trimesters.

The change will also benefit students in the Oxford Schools Early College program, Latowski added, as the district’s schedule will better align with Rochester College and Macomb Community College schedules.