The Senate Education Committee advanced two key education bills Tuesday morning, addressing school calendar requirements and principal qualifications.
Senate Bill 899 modifies the requirements for becoming a school principal.
This bill would allow teachers with 15 years of experience at the elementary, middle, or high school level to be certified as principals at the same level for which they have taught for a minimum of 15 years.
The bill was reported to the Full Senate with a recommendation of passage.
Senate Bill 890 would change certain school calendar requirements from days, months, or hours.
This bill would change the minimum public school employment term from 200 days to 1,600 hours; and convert other public school calendar provisions from days or months to hours.
The time would be designated by the county board for employees to use for preparation for opening school.
This bill would also allow nonpublic schools to deliver instructions through alternative methods that count toward up to 25 hours of instructional time when schools are closed due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances. The hours of instruction can also count towards the 900-hour instructional time requirement.
Those opposing the bill raised concerns about a four-day work week becoming a possibility for schools, causing families to have to find childcare on weekdays. They expressed the importance of students attending school Monday through Friday in preparation for the workforce, mimicking the same schedule.
Supporters of the bill claim it provides a decrease in regulations for schools and allows counties to make decisions based on their area. They also expressed that schools could switch to a year-round schedule instead of a four-day week calendar, allowing families to plan vacations more and provide everyone with a break, including the staff.
Senator Eric J. Tarr (R – Putman, 04) proposed an amendment adding to the definition of the term “employment term” by further defining an employment term as a month being defined as 20 employment days or 160 employment hours, with the intention to address retirement concerns for teachers.
The amendment was adopted.
The bill, as amended, was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.
