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DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa school districts will soon have a harder time starting their school year before September 1st. The Iowa Department of Education announced Friday it is ending the practice of granting automatic waivers to schools who ask to move their start dates.

Iowa law states that districts can't start classes before September unless they are given a waiver from the Department of Education. For years those waivers have been automatically approved. The department said it is hearing growing complaints from parents and other community members about the system. Parents say the early start to school interferes with the Iowa State Fair where many Iowa teenagers involved in 4-H and those who work at concession stands there.

In a letter sent to school districts today, Director Brad Buck writes "the Department has reviewed its current practice and will be implementing a new procedure that more accurately reflects the legal authority the Department has to grant these waiver requests. Effective immediately, the Department will no longer automatically grant waivers."

Buck says schools must now demonstrate that "that starting on or after the earliest start date specified would have a significant negative educational impact" for their waiver request to be granted.

The Department of Education says it will provide more guidance on the issue to school districts early next year. But in the meantime it asks districsts to "plan accordingly for the 2015-2016 school year."