The Echo

State Board 'Forgives' Days Due To States of Emergency


Release Date: Mar 18, 2010 2:28 PM
(Dover, DE.) At today's monthly meeting of the State Board of Education, Secretary of Education Lillian M. Lowery, pursuant to Title 14, section 1305 (h), recommended to the Board to reduce the number of required days/hours of school for the 2009-2010 school year. The Board unanimously approved the Secretary's recommendation.

On November 13, 2009 for Kent and Sussex Counties (flooding); February 8, 2010 for Kent and Sussex Counties (winter storm); and on February 10, 11 and 12 statewide (winter storm), Governor Jack Markell declared a State of Emergency due to extreme, hazardous conditions. Secretary Lowery recommended to the Board that these days/hours missed due to the states of emergency be forgiven for students and state employees.

By law, teachers are required to work 183 days which includes 180 instructional days devoted to pupils; two days devoted to start up/closing, and one day for professional development. Students in grades 1-11 are required to attend 1060 hours of instruction; grade 12 students must attend 1032 hours; kindergarten students are required to attend 440 instructional hours or 1060 hours if in a full day kindergarten program.

In a separate request, Secretary Lowery asked the State Board to forgive a missed school day on September 8, 2009 for the Indian River School District due to the funeral for Corporal Chad Spicer, a Georgetown police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Schools in the district were closed due to road closures and traffic restrictions. The State Board unanimously approved the Secretary's recommendation.