An editorial from The Dominion Post
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Ah, spring, when a school board’s fancy turns to … vacations and summer?
At least that’s what appears to be on the minds of the state Board of Education (BOE).
This week the state BOE approved a waiver process that gives county school districts more flexibility than is necessary in making up snow days.
The new policy comes two years after the Legislature approved major education reform, that included extending the school calendar from 43 to 48 weeks to fit in 180 days of class time.
That provision came with a caveat, though: Local school boards must guarantee students receive 180 days of instruction. No excuses. No waivers.
Then in October 2013, the state BOE approved a separate policy that gave local school boards more flexibility in developing their school calendars. That policy required at least two public hearings on the proposed school calendar before the county board voted on it.
Public input, local control of the school calendar and living up to a 180-day mandate —it all sounded academic.
But the policy approved Wednesday to allow counties to seek waivers from the state-required 180 days is an all-out retreat from that official promise.
Still, the state superintendent of schools insists: “… 180 days is 180 days. I don’t want people to think because they have accrued time or can get a waiver, they can get around that.”
He’s only been on the job for six months, but his yo-yo logic is apparently in good company.
The Legislature also has one bill—Senate Bill 537 —in play that grants similar exemptions.
That bill changes mandatory school instructional time from days to minutes.
The state board’s policy and the legislation both allow school districts to use bank time to meet the equivalent 180 instructional days.
Bank time is minutes accrued during a regular school day that exceeds the minimum classroom time. Formerly, bank time could only be used to count as instructional days during school delays, early dismissals and faculty senate sessions.
Clearly, the BOE and Legislature intend to renege on the promise of ensuring 180 days of classroom time for students, to ensure no one’s travel reservations are at risk.
Some counties will still do the right thing and extend their school years or cancel spring break to meet this benchmark.
But it’s safe to say other counties will employ this creative use of bank time to end the school year ASAP.
Call us old school, but 180 days is 180 days, come snow or spring break’s demise.
We urge counties to reject this waiver process and do the right thing by their students, not anyone’s vacation.
The future comes with no guarantees, but without proper classroom time its promise is far more uncertain.
