Kentucky public school students could see their school year shortened by up to 10 days under a proposal in the Kentucky House.
Currently, the average number of days missed due to wintry weather at schools across the state is 14. And while public school students are mandated by law to attend a minimum of 170 days, House Speaker Greg Stumbo says it’s time to rethink that requirement this year.
"I never believed that if you had a certain number of days that that automatically translated to a certain achievement educationally. It's the quality of days, not the quantity of days. But with these weather conditions, we've done that in years past. I don't thinks kids going to school in July, I don't think they are probably as receptive to learning as if you get them out in June," Stumbo says.
One bill would provide 10 waiver days for schools, while another would allow schools to lengthen the school day to make up for lost instructional time.
The Kentucky School Boards Association reports that 31 of the state’s 173 districts have missed 20 or more days due to weather conditions this year.
