Guidance on Schedule Change from Days to Hours
Traditional school districts, joint vocational school districts and chartered nonpublic schools must comply with minimum hours of instruction instead of a minimum number of school days each year.
Collective Bargaining Agreements
The change from days to hours does not apply to a collective bargaining agreements executed prior to July 1, 2014. If the district continues a collective bargaining agreement past this date, the district would remain subject to current requirements on the number of days in a school year, including calamity days. Read more about bargaining agreements as they relate to the change of days to hours.
Minimum Hours and What Hours Count
School districts, joint vocational school districts and chartered nonpublic schools must be open for instruction for a minimum of:
- 455 hours for students in half-day kindergarten
- 910 hours for students in full-day kindergarten through grade 6; and
- 1,001 hours for students in grades 7-12.
- 910 hours for students enrolled in traditional school district online schools.
Community schools must be open for instruction for at least 920 hours per year. This does not represent a change. Read more about minimum hours and what hours count.
No Calamity Days in Ohio
Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, districts that changed to hour-based schedules will no longer have calamity days. Instead, schools may schedule “excess” hours above the minimum number. Hours missed above the minimum do not have to be made up. However, if a school closes enough that it will fall below the minimum number of hours, the school must extend its scheduled year. Read more about how calamity days changed.
Online Day Plans
Online day plans are an alternative to making up hours due to school closure under several circumstances. Schools or districts may use an online day plan to make up the equivalent of up to three school days via online delivery under allowable scenarios.
Changing the Schedule
A traditional school district board of education (not applicable to joint vocational school districts) must hold a public hearing at least 30 days prior to adopting its school schedule. Read more about changing the schedule.
Requirements for Preschool for Hours-based Schedule
The state law that changed schedules for Ohio schools from day-based to hour-based did not include language for prekindergarten programs, whether designed for typically developing children or those with disabilities. Here are the requirements for prekindergarten programs that the Ohio Department of Education funds.
Last Modified: 4/11/2024 8:55:20 AM