School Calendar Requirements (KRS 158.070)
The minimum school term shall be one hundred eighty-five (185) days, including no less than the equivalent of one hundred seventy-five (175) six (6) hour instructional days. A board of education may extend its term beyond the minimum term. Please refer to KRS 158.070 for additional calendar requirements.
School Calendar Requirements in 2012 HB 265
The 2012 budget bill says that the school term shall include, at a minimum, the equivalent of 177 six-hour instructional days (1,062 hours). This requirement will be in effect from now through the 2013-14 school year.
Original Calendar
The local board of education, upon recommendation of the local school district superintendent, shall adopt a school calendar for the upcoming school year that establishes the opening and closing dates of the school term, beginning and ending dates of each month, instructional days, and days on which schools shall be dismissed. The local board may schedule days for breaks in the school calendar that shall not be counted as a part of the minimum school term. The original calendar shall be submitted to KDE (Kentucky Department of Education) prior to June 30.
Amended Calendar
At the end of the school term an amended calendar shall be approved by the local board of education and submitted to KDE for review no later than June 30. The amended calendar must have each weekday designated in Infinite Campus as a Day Event Type (opening, closing, holiday, professional development, planning, regular, teacher equivalency, disaster, break, other or weather). To avoid adding additional instructional time to meet the minimum of 1062 hour requirement, make up days are adequately planned in the original calendar for any unexpected day types, such as weather or illness.
Innovative Alternative School Calendar
An Innovative Alternative School Calendar has a minimum of 1,062 hours of instruction with less than 170 days of instruction. Any school district that selects an Innovative Alternative Calendar must submit a request to the Commissioner of KDE for approval before the end of school year and prior to the submission of the Original Calendar. For additional information in regards to an Innovative Alternative School Calendar please refer to 702 KAR 7:130.