6112

Instruction

School Day

Grades 1 12, Full Day Kindergarten

The Superintendent of Schools shall ensure that:

1.  The school year provides at least 180 days of actual school sessions for all grades, kindergarten to grade twelve, inclusive.

2.  The school year provides a minimum of 900 hours of actual school work for full day kindergarten and grades one to twelve, inclusive; in meeting this requirement, no more than seven (7) hours of actual school work on a given day shall be credited toward meeting the 900-hour minimum.

3.  Remote learning shall be considered an actual school session provided that on or after January 1, 2022 such remote learning is conducted in compliance with the standards developed by the Connecticut State Department of Education.

4.  In an early school closing or delayed opening because of weather, the district will provide a minimum of 900 hours of actual school work by the conclusion of the school year.

5.  Should it be necessary to consider alternative scheduling in any single school year, because of unusual circumstances which could interfere with fulfilling the 180 day school year requirement, the Superintendent shall recommend to the Board a plan for alternative scheduling to be transmitted to the State Board of Education for its consideration and possible approval.

In complying with statutory requirements for a minimum of four (4) hours per day and a minimum of 900 hours per year, the Superintendent shall exclude from the definition of actual school work that time provided for student lunch periods and non-institutional recesses at the elementary schools and students' lunch and passing time in the middle schools and the senior high school.

Note: A Board of Education for a school that has been designated as a low achieving school pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of C.G.S. 10-223e may increase the number of actual school sessions during each year, and may increase the number of hours of actual school work per session in order to improve student performance and remove the school from the list of schools designated as a low achieving school maintained by the State Board of Education.

Half-Day Kindergarten

The Superintendent of Schools shall ensure that:

1.  The school year provides at least 180 days of actual school sessions;

2.  The school year provides a minimum of 450 hours of actual school work; in meeting this requirement, no more than seven (7) hours of actual school work on a given day shall be credited toward meeting the 450 hour minimum school year;

3.  In an early school closing or delayed opening because of weather, either the morning of afternoon kindergarten session shall count as a school day;

4.  In the event of an early closing because of weather, the kindergarten session shall count as a school day, regardless of its length.

5.  Should it be necessary to consider alternative scheduling in any single school year, because of unusual circumstances which could interfere with fulfilling the 180 day school year requirement, the Superintendent shall recommend to the Board a plan for alternative scheduling to be transmitted to the State Board of Education for its consideration and possible approval.

In complying with statutory requirements for a minimum of 450 hours per year for kindergartens, the Superintendent shall exclude from the definition of actual school work that time provided for student lunch periods and non-institutional recesses.

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

10-15  Towns to maintain schools. (as amended by P.A. 11-85, An Act Concerning the Achievement Gap)

10-16  Length of school day (as amended by PA 21-46, Sections 17, 18)

10-16b  Prescribed courses of study.

10-16(l)  Graduation exercises (as amended by PA 19-195)

10-220  Duties of boards of education.

Action of SBE on August 11, 2020, to authorize shortening of the school year.

Policy adopted: