Login | June 09, 2026
Minimum hour school year bill back in legislature
TIFFANY L. PARKS
Special to the Legal News
Published: May 21, 2013
A bill that would change primary and secondary school calendars from minimum days to minimum hours is gaining movement in the House Education committee.
House Bill 32, jointly sponsored by Rep. Bill Hayes, R-Granville, and Rep. Bill Patmon, D-Cleveland, would adjust the minimum school year for school districts and chartered nonpublic schools from 182 days to 455 hours for half-day kindergarten, 910 hours for full-day kindergarten and grades 1 through 6, and 1,001 hours for grades 7 through 12, beginning with the 2014-15 school year.
The bill was introduced in early February and had its first committee hearing last week.
“HB 32 will allow school districts the flexibility to alter their school days if needed, providing cost savings initiatives and addressing the efficiency, cost savings and uniformity needs of several school districts in the state,” said Patmon, who originally introduced the proposal with Hayes as House Bill 191 in the 129th General Assembly.
That measure passed the House toward the end of the legislative session but did not have a hearing in the Senate.
In calling for school years to be based on the number of hours of instruction rather than days, Hayes said the proposed legislation would eliminate the need for calamity days under present law, as it allows time to be taken off due to weather, or other reasons, but requires the full minimum number of hours of instruction to be provided as scheduled by the local district.
“In addition, delays for weather (sometimes called two-hour delays) will still be permitted as needed, but hours missed for these events must be made up or covered by other hours of attendance to meet the minimum,” he said.
“HB 32 gives local districts great flexibility in setting their school year calendars. It does not, however, permit schools to automatically adopt the state minimum hours as their local minimum. Any change from present hours attended must be approved by the local board.”
The bill requires local boards to give notice of and hold a public meeting for comment before adopting the calendar for the coming year.
HB 32 also requires a five-day school week, except when holidays and scheduled break times are a part of the week.
“The provisions of HB 32 will not become effective in districts that have conflicting, negotiated contracts until after the expiration of those contracts,” Hayes said.
The bill has not been scheduled for additional hearings.
Copyright © 2013 The Daily Reporter - All Rights Reserved