HCS/HB 242 – This act allows school boards to establish a four-day school week instead of a five-day school week by the adoption a resolution by a majority vote of board members. Any school district that does so must file a calendar with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. A minimum term for a school district adopting a four-day school week includes 142 days and 1044 hours of pupil attendance. A school district that adopts a four-day school week and subsequently meets at least two fewer performance standards on its annual performance report over a two year period must revert to a five-day school week. If the school district then meets the same number of performance standards it had met prior to adopting the four-day school week, it can resume a four-day school week. Current law requires a school district to make up the first six days of school lost or canceled due to inclement weather and half the number of days lost of canceled in excess of six days. This act provides that such make-up will occur if necessary to ensure that the district's students will attend a minimum of 142 days and a minimum of 1044 hours for the school year. School districts that adopt a four-day school week may schedule make-up days on Friday.
This act is substantially similar to provisions contained in HCS#2/SS/SB 291 (2009) and is substantially similar to SB 345 (2009) and HB 1534 (2008).
MICHAEL RUFF