Later school calendar saves energy in Texas

Texas public school leaders may not like the legislative mandate that has delayed the start of the school year until the last week of August, but advocates point to lower utility bills as a sign that lawmakers made the right choice. In the first year, schools statewide appear to have saved millions of dollars in August utility bills. Some districts reported using half as much energy in August 2007 as in past Augusts, according to records provided by some of Texas' largest school systems.