180 day waiver? Wantagh is silent

[lilly]

Just throwing it out there, what do people think of the (slim) possibility of the 180 day school year being waived?

Wantagh has not announced plans to make up the school days, waiting for state ed to intervene. Other districts have already cut days from Feb. vacation and others to make up time lost to Sandy.

[Chris_Wendt]

Newsday lists Districts with Plans to Cancel Winter Recess (hyperlink)

Wantagh and Seaford are not on the list.

Commissioner of Education says he will grant no waivers unless all vacations have been canceled.

I have no skin in this game, so I decline to opine, for now.

If this gets down to Wantagh giving up State Aid in order to preserve vacations, then I would certainly have something to say about that.

Chris Wendt

[jg]

It is my opinion that the reason for making up the school days (in all districts) has a lot to do with APPR. Should teachers not get 180 days to cover the curriculum NYSUT might fight the portion of teacher evaluations subject to standardized test scores, which would then bring NYSUT and SED back to court.

[Chris_Wendt]

That could be part of the equation.

However, the regulations are clear about this 180-day requirement, and with the Governor actively pursuing initiatives to lengthen both the school day and the school year, it simply would not do for the Commissioner of Education to be granting waivers allowing districts to go in the opposite direction from the Governor and his Education Reform Commission.

Perhaps there was an opportunity lost in this episode. The Commissioner could have gotten out in front of the discussion and offered waivers to any districts that would agree to lengthen their school day on a permanent basis, effective January 2, 2013. In other words, offer to trade days lost for hours to be gained.

Chris Wendt

[greda]

Wantagh has cancelled the whole week of the February Break