SB 890: Changing certain school calendar requirements from days or months to hours - West Virginia

sb890 sfa martin _1 3-14 adopted.htm → sb890 sfat martin _1 3-14 adopted.htm · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to replace the previous requirement for 180 separate instructional days with a new requirement of 900 total instructional hours. This change allows schools to meet the requirement by extending the length of the school day or using alternative instruction methods when schools are closed, rather than strictly counting calendar days. The amendment also clarifies rules for non-public schools and ensures that specific professional development days are protected from being used for other purposes.

Scope change

The scope of the requirement shifted from counting specific calendar days to counting total instructional hours, which applies to both public and private schools under the same hour-based metric.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the mandatory school calendar requirement from a minimum of 180 separate instructional days to a minimum of 900 total instructional hours.

Added provisions allowing schools to count up to 25 hours of instruction delivered through alternative methods (e.g., online) when schools are closed due to weather or emergencies.

Clarified that non-public schools must also adhere to the 900-hour minimum instructional term and may use alternative instruction methods for weather closures.

Reorganized the allocation of non-instructional days to ensure three specific 'Educator Focus Days' are used solely for teacher-led activities to improve instruction.

DEFINITION

Redefined the instructional term to focus on the accumulation of 900 hours rather than a fixed number of days, permitting flexibility in scheduling.

sb890 hfat statler 3-10 adopted.htm → sb890 sfa martin _1 3-14 adopted.htm · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends the West Virginia school calendar law to shift the primary metric from counting 'days' to counting 'hours' of instruction, aiming to ensure consistent learning time regardless of how days are scheduled. It establishes a minimum requirement of 900 instructional hours per year while maintaining a 200-day employment term for teachers. The changes also introduce new definitions for 'cocurricular activities' and allow private schools to use alternative methods to meet the 900-hour requirement.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include private, parochial, and religious schools under the new 900-hour instructional requirement, whereas the previous version primarily focused on public school day counts.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the minimum public school requirement from 180 instructional days to 900 instructional hours, allowing flexibility in scheduling while maintaining total learning time.

Mandated that the 900 instructional hours be achieved within a 200-day employment term, with specific rules on how days can be lengthened or used for non-instructional educator activities.

Allowed schools to count up to 25 hours of instruction delivered via alternative methods (e.g., online work) when schools are closed due to weather or emergencies.

Required the inclusion of three 'Educator Focus Days' specifically for teacher-led activities to improve instruction, with mandatory time blocks for faculty senate meetings.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'Instructional day hour', 'Cocurricular activities', and 'Instruction delivered through alternative methods' to clarify how time is counted.

ELIGIBILITY

Extended the new 900-hour instructional requirement to private, parochial, and religious schools, aligning them with public school standards.

sb890 h edu am _1 adopted.htm → sb890 hfat statler 3-10 adopted.htm · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to shift the school calendar requirements from a 'days-based' system to an 'hours-based' system, changing the minimum instructional requirement from 180 days to 954 hours and the employment term from 200 days to 1,600 hours. This change allows for greater flexibility in scheduling, such as using alternative instruction methods during closures, while maintaining the same total amount of learning time. The amendment also clarifies that certain non-instructional days must be used for teacher professional development and restricts how school preparation days can be utilized.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the minimum instructional requirement from 180 separate days to 954 instructional hours, and the employment term from 200 days to 1,600 hours.

Added a requirement for 'Educator Focus Days' where teachers have autonomy to plan activities to improve instruction, with specific scheduling rules.

Restricted the use of 'school preparation days' so they cannot be used for any purpose other than preparing for the start or end of the school year.

Allowed private and parochial schools to count up to 25 hours of alternative instruction time toward their annual requirement when schools are closed due to weather or emergencies.

Updated the rule-making authority to allow the state board to clarify requirements arising from the shift from a days-based to an hours-based calendar system.

DEFINITION

Redefined 'Instructional day hour' to specify exact minute requirements per grade level (e.g., 315 minutes for K-5) to ensure the new hourly totals are met.

Committee Substitute → sb890 h edu am _1 adopted adopted.htm · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends West Virginia's school calendar laws to shift the primary requirement from a minimum of 180 instructional days to a minimum of 954 instructional hours. It redefines the employment term from 200 days to 200 days but clarifies the instructional term for teachers as 954 hours. The changes allow schools to count up to 25 hours of remote instruction toward the total if schools are closed due to weather, and they mandate that noninstructional days (holidays, professional development, etc.) be explicitly planned within the calendar.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on public and private school calendars in West Virginia, but the applicability of the requirements has shifted from a day-count to an hour-count system, affecting how schools plan their academic years and how they handle weather closures.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the minimum instructional requirement from 180 days to 954 hours, altering how schools calculate their academic year length.

Modified the employment term definition to explicitly state it is a 200-day contract while keeping the total hours consistent with the new hour-based instructional model.

Added a specific provision allowing up to 25 hours of remote instruction to count toward the 954-hour total when schools are closed due to inclement weather.

Mandated that noninstructional days (such as holidays, professional development, and faculty meetings) must total 20 days and be explicitly listed in the school calendar.

Required county boards to hold at least two public meetings to discuss the school calendar with parents, teachers, and community members before implementation.

Added a rule requiring the state board to promulgate specific rules to implement the new hour-based calendar system and address unforeseen issues.

Enrolled Committee Substitute → Committee Substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill fundamentally shifts West Virginia's public school calendar from a day-based system to an hour-based system, requiring 900 instructional hours instead of 180 days. It expands the employment term definition to include hours (1,600 hours) alongside days (200 days) and mandates that noninstructional days be used for specific professional development, including faculty senate meetings. The changes also update retirement system definitions to align with the new hour-based employment term and allow private schools to count alternative instruction hours toward their 900-hour requirement.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from primarily public schools to include private, parochial, and church schools regarding instructional hour requirements. It also broadened applicability to all service personnel (not just teachers) by redefining the employment term in hours.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the minimum instructional requirement from 180 days to 900 hours for both public and private schools.

Mandated that noninstructional days include specific blocks of time for faculty senate meetings and professional development activities.

Allowed schools to count up to 25 hours of instruction delivered via alternative methods (online/homework) when schools are closed due to weather.

Required county boards to hold public meetings to discuss the school calendar with parents and community stakeholders.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'employment term' to require at least 200 days or 1,600 hours, and 'instructional term' to require 900 hours.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified retirement system eligibility criteria to count the new 1,600-hour employment term alongside the 200-day requirement.

Introduced Version → Enrolled Committee Substitute · 8 edits · Apr 1, 2026

MODERATE

The bill shifts West Virginia's school calendar requirements from a fixed number of days to a flexible number of instructional hours. This allows schools to adjust schedules based on weather or other disruptions while maintaining a total of 900 hours of instruction. It also introduces new provisions for teacher preparation time and alternative learning methods during closures.

Scope change

The bill expands applicability to nonpublic schools by requiring them to meet the same 900-hour instructional minimum as public schools, whereas the original version only mentioned public schools.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the minimum school year requirement from 180 instructional days to 900 instructional hours, allowing for more flexibility in scheduling.

Added a requirement for nonpublic schools to meet a minimum 900-hour instructional term.

Mandated that noninstructional days include three 'Educator Focus Days' for professional development and faculty meetings.

Restricted the use of teacher preparation days, prohibiting them from being used for any purpose other than preparing for school opening or closing.

Allowed nonpublic schools to count up to 25 hours of alternative instruction toward their annual requirement when schools are closed due to weather.

Increased the maximum alternative instruction time allowed during closures from 5 days to 25 hours for all schools.

Required county boards to hold at least two public meetings with parents and community members when formulating the school calendar.

DEFINITION

Created new definitions for 'Instructional hour', 'Employment term', and 'Instructional term' to clarify the shift from days to hours.

Changing certain school calendar requirements from days or months to hours

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