1920s and since then most locations in Canada has had the first day of school as the Tuesday in September after Labour Day. However, some schools start in August so that their mid-point of the year will coincide with Christmas break. United States In the United States, educational policy is determined primarily at the state level and at the level of individual school districts. Therefore, there is no one particular day on which all schools start. During much of the 20th century, it was common for schools to start shortly after Labor Day (September), and in some areas of the United States, this is still the norm. However, it has become increasingly common for schools to start earlier in August or even late July. For example, in the San Diego Unified School District, schools start on the last Monday of August. New York City Department of Education begins the school year the week after the Labor Day holiday. Conflicting pressures affect the first day of school. For example, since the school year is normally divided into two semesters, many teachers want one semester to finish in December just before the winter holidays, and the second semester to start when classes resume in January. This requires starting the school year in mid-August. Employers who rely on teenagers to work summer jobs want the school year to start in the first or second week of September, when the main tourist season has ended. Because of the role of an amusement park Kings Dominion in promoting a law requiring September start dates in Virginia for almost four decades, the law was called the King Dominion law. When school buildings do not have air conditioning, then starting school during the hottest month of the year can lead to schools closing earlier at the start of the day, for health and safety reasons. Oceania Australia In Australia the first day of school is around February 1, dependent on individual state/territory (and schoolmarm or private school system). New Zealand In New Zealand, the first day of school is generally during the last week in January, or the first week in February. Papua New Guinea In Papua New Guinea, the first day of school is around the third week in January. South America Brazil In Brazil the first day of school is on the first Thursday of February, to take 200 school days. The year usually ends