Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 5, 1994 TAG: 9403050071
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Three localities already have requested waivers, and some others say they plan to do so because of the large number of missed days.
The state Department of Education can grant waivers of the state minimum instructional time if school systems have made all reasonable efforts to comply.
The minimum is 180 days or 990 hours of instructional time.
Botetourt County, which has missed 14 days, will seek a waiver. But school officials will wait until the end of winter before they make their request.
"We don't want to have to go back and ask for another waiver if we have more bad weather," said Rodney Dillman, an assistant superintendent in Botetourt County.
The state has a procedure for making up missed days. School systems must make up the first five days. The state can waive the next five days if it believes the locality has exhausted all reasonable efforts to comply.
If a locality has missed more than 10 days, it must make up days 11 to 15. For days in excess of 15, the state can waive them if the locality can't make them up.
In Franklin County, Superintendent Leonard Gereau said he may ask the School Board to seek a waiver for some days. Franklin County has missed 11.
"It is getting to the point where the only option we have is to extend the school year, and we don't have air conditioning in some schools," Gereau said.
Franklin County schools were closed Friday because of power outages in four buildings and roads blocked by fallen trees. The county had planned to have school today to make up one of the lost days, but that has been canceled because of the power outages and road problems.
"It is getting almost to the point where we might have to ask for a waiver," Gereau said.
Thomas Elliott, the state's chief of compliance coordination, said many school systems have missed far more school days than usual this winter.
In reviewing the requests for waivers, Elliott said, the state reviews the school systems' calendars and their efforts to make up lost days.
School systems whose days exceed 5 1/2 hours can use the additional time to help make up the lost time, he said. This so-called "banked time" is being used by several Western Virginia localities to help make up some of the missed days.
Elliott said he has already received three requests for waivers, but he would not identify the school districts.
Craig County has missed 20 days, but won't seek a waiver, because school officials believe students need the instructional time.
Craig will shorten its spring break, hold school on Saturdays and extend the school year to make up the lost time, said Jenny Givens, School Board clerk.
Roanoke has missed nine days, but has no plans to ask for a waiver. Spring break has been reduced from five to two days to help make up the lost time. The city's break will be April 4 and 5.
Roanoke County, which has missed 14 days, closed schools again on Friday because some roads were blocked by fallen trees and other storm debris.
Superintendent-elect Deanna Gordon said the county has made arrangements to make up all the missed days except Friday. The county has shortened its spring break and extended its school day to help make up the lost time. Spring break will be April 1-4.
Roanoke County has not asked for a waiver for any of the missed days. Neither has Bedford County, which has missed 14 days. Bedford has shortened its spring break and extended the school day.
by CNB