The school year shall accommodate the education program of the school district. The school calendar shall be for a minimum of one hundred ninety-one (191) days and include, but not be limited to, the days for student instruction, staff development, in-service days and teacher conferences.
The student school year for grades one through twelve may consist of one of the following: (1) a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) days with each day having a minimum of six (6) hours of instruction or (2) one thousand eighty hours (1,080) of instruction. Lunch periods will not count as part of instructional time. Time during which students are released from school for parent/teacher conferences and passing time will be counted as part of instructional time.
If the school district chooses a minimum one hundred eighty (180) day school year, the school district may also record a day of school with less than the minimum of six (6) hours of instruction if the total hours of instructional time for grades one through twelve for any five consecutive school days equals a minimum of thirty (30) hours, even though any one day of school is less than the minimum instructional hours because of a staff development opportunity provided for the professional instructional staff or because parent-teacher conferences have been scheduled beyond the regular school day. If the total hours of instructional time for the first four consecutive days equal at least thirty (30) hours because parent-teacher conferences have been scheduled beyond the regular school day, the school district may record zero hours of instructional time on the fifth consecutive school day as a school day.
The academic school year for students may not begin prior to August 23 unless a waiver is obtained from the Iowa Department of Education. Employees may be required to report to work at the school district prior to this date.
Special education students may attend school on a school calendar different from that of the regular education program consistent with their Individualized Education Program.
The board, in its discretion, may excuse graduating seniors from up to five days of instruction after the school district requirements for graduation have been met. The board may also excuse graduating seniors from making up days missed due to inclement weather if the student has met the school district’s graduation requirements.
It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to develop the school calendar for recommendation, approval, and adoption by the board annually. The board may amend the official school calendar when the board considers the change to be in the best interests of the school district’s education program.
Approved: October 19, 1998
Revised/Reviewed: February 27, 2023