Every bit of class time counts in Allegheny County
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State law requires public schools to provide 180 days of instruction a year, but through various exceptions, public school districts can provide fewer student days -- or, if teachers agree, more days.
In figures compiled by the Post-Gazette for 2008-09, the number of days school was in session for students in suburban Allegheny County public school districts varied from 173 at Quaker Valley High School to 186 in all Pine-Richland schools.
Pittsburgh Public Schools offered 180 days in most of its schools but operated a longer school year -- 190 days -- in eight of its schools, called accelerated learning academies.
The state Department of Education grants exceptions to the 180-day rule in certain cases, such as emergency school closings for reasons such as contagious diseases or natural disasters. The state also allows school districts to count certain professional development days -- known as Act 80 days -- as instructional days even though students don't attend.
However, the state also requires a minimum number of instructional hours: 450 for kindergarten, 900 for elementary and 990 for secondary. The whole school day doesn't count as instructional hours; some portions, such as lunch and class changes, are excluded.
The state typically doesn't budge on the number of hours. That's why, while some students were in class fewer than 180 days, none of the schools operated by county's 43 school districts fell below the minimum number of instructional hours. Dropping the hours below that point risks a portion of a district's state subsidy.
Total instructional hours in a school year in suburban Allegheny County school districts ranged from at least 924 hours for grades 1 through 6 in McKeesport Area, to 1,151 hours and 55 minutes in grades 7 and 8 in South Allegheny. That's a difference of nearly 228 hours -- or about six hours a week.
More instructional hours -- a total of 1,266 hours and 40 minutes -- were offered at the Pittsburgh's eight accelerated learning academies.
The figures don't count kindergarten programs, which can be half-time, three-fourths time or full-time.
Despite its smaller number of days, Quaker Valley still offered more instructional hours than the state minimum because its regular school day for grades 1 through 12 is among the longer ones with at least six instructional hours.
First Published September 5, 2010 12:00 am
