Linda S. Suggs, Legislative Director
State Board of Education
North Carolina Dept. of Public Instruction

The school calendar bill rolled through the Senate Education committee
    this afternoon.  The committee met from about 3:30 until after 5:30 to
    hear the bill.  When the committee convened, Sen. Scott Thomas presented
    a PCS (a proposed committee substitute) that subtracts 5 teacher
    workdays (the House version deleted 10).  The remaining 9 or 10 days are
    to be "scheduled by the local board in consultation with each school's
    principal for use as teacher workdays, additional instructional days, or
    other lawful purposes.  Before consulting with the local board, each
    principal shall work with the school improvement team to determine the
    days to be scheduled and the purposes for which they should be
    scheduled."  The daily rate of pay for teachers would be "midway between
    one twenty-first and one-twenty-second of the monthly rate of pay."
    Other provisions are essentially the same as those in HB 1464 as passed
    by the House (i.e., students can't start before Aug. 25, must finish by
    June 10, exemptions if LEA missed 8 days for inclement weather in 4 of
    last 10 years, first paycheck must be by August 31 and must be a full
    month's check, hold harmless for certified and noncertified employees,
    effective when it becomes law, and applies beginning w 2005-2006 school
    year).

    Senators had many questions about the bill.  Sen. Purcell wanted to
    know why this bill got involved with teacher workdays.  Rep. Wilson said
    that during the debate last year, she heard many complaints from parents
    and teachers about bloated calendars and ineffective use of workdays.
    Sen. Allran asked what the rationale was for changing from 10 days less
    to 5 days less.  Sen. Thomas responded that the 15 days left is still
    twice the national average for teacher workdays.  Sen. Dorsett said she
    has heard from teachers that they need extra time.  She asked what would
    be wrong with mandating the start and end date for students and keeping
    the workdays until there is time for the SBE to study the workdays to
    see what we really need.  Sen. Shubert said she has heard horror stories
    about teacher workdays, that frankly she liked it better w removing 10,
    but that this is a reasonable compromise.  Sen. Nesbitt was concerned,
    among other things, about the impact on western counties and days missed
    to snow and inclement weather.  He offered an amendment to exempt a list
    of western counties from the start/end date requirement, but the
    amendment failed.  Sen. Stevens noted that the fundamental issue is who
    should be setting the school calendar for educational purposes.  He
    offered an amendment, similar to a provision in the Virginia law cited
    by the bill sponsor, that would allow school systems to request a waiver
    of the start/end requirements from the State Board of Education for good
    cause.  His amendment also failed. Sen. Purcell said he thinks it is a
    mistake to change the teacher workdays without looking at the effect on
    students.  Sen. Tillman said everybody he talks to loves this bill,
    until he explains the bill.

    Speakers were allowed to address this committee.  Speaking in favor of
    the bill were John Holleman representing NCAE and David Huskins
    representing Smoky Mountains Tourism.  Several speakers urged the
    committee not to reduce the number of teacher workdays without study of
    the impact on students.  They included JoAnn Norris of Public School
    Forum, Leanne Winner of NCSBA, Linda Suggs for the State Board of
    Education, Ellen Greaves of PENC, Leslie Bevacqua Coman of NCCBI, Rob
    Schoffield of NC Justice Center, and Susan Harrison of Wake County
    Schools.  Katherine Joyce of NCASA spoke in opposition to the bill on
    issues of local control, costs, impact on family time, impact on
    students, and questions about the real economic benefits.

    Again, these brief notes truly don't do justice to the debate.  They
    can only give you a small slice of the dialogue.

    The Senate PCS for HB 1464 is scheduled for 2nd reading in the Senate
    tomorrow (Friday).  The Senate convenes at 11 am.