School Calendar Rides on Governor’s Budget

The board ratified two calendars at its May 11 meeting, with an ultimate decision contingent on Gov. Brown’s budget. Both calendars have the same start and end days, but one has 180 instruction days while the other has 175.

All school districts are waiting to see how much funding they will receive from the state. If the governor and legislature pass an “all cuts” budget, the shorter 175-day Calendar B will take effect. Regardless of the state budget, school will begin Aug. 22 and end on June 7, 2012.

“We’re experienced worse cuts than even during the Great Depression,” said school board trustee Shelly Masur at a budget forum at John Gill School on May 2.

June 7

To stay within its budget, the school district may implement a school year shorter than 180 days. Though there is no law, it’s an unprecedentedly short school year.

“We wish we had more instructional days, but this is something we have to do,” said school board president Alisa MacAvoy.

At the same board meeting, the board to 40 district employees. Four were sent to probationary and tenured teachers, while 36 were sent to temporary teachers holding one-year contracts, according to district spokesperson Naomi Hunter.

Because the school district is the , the district often faces these tough decisions that other districts do not have to consider.