Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz consulted with local superintendents and teachers throughout the state about a variety of difficulties experienced this winter season. She stated that many asked for more flexibility for scheduling instructional time.
Ritz announced include both waiver and non-waiver options for schools. Corporation officials have the flexibility to change their calendar by rescheduling holidays, pre-established snow flex days or professional development days without requesting a waiver from the DOE. Schools are also able to host school on Saturdays or add days to the end of the school year.
Conditional waivers may be requested. This may be done if corporations add instructional time to each instructional day that is in addition to time already provided in the calendar. When a corporation has rescheduled enough instructional time to meet the minimum definition of an instructional day, officials may apply for a conditional waiver for one school day. An instructional day consists of five hours of instructional time for students in grades one through six and six hours of instructional time for students in grades seven through 12. Conditional waiver requests are due by June 1.
Many local corporations have already opted to use built-in snow days, use an earlier approved waiver or add days to the end of the school calendar.
