FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 

S

  

TATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

F. PHILIP HANDY,

Chairman

T. WILLARD FAIR,

Vice Chairman

 

Members

DONNA G. CALLAWAY

ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ

PHOEBE RAULERSON

KATHLEEN SHANAHAN

LINDA K. TAYLOR

 

John L. Winn

Commissioner of Education

  

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Information:

  

Alan Ramos

(850) 245-0745

Alan.Ramos@fldoe.org

K12: 2006-135

 

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:

District Superintendents

  

 

FROM:

Cheri Pierson Yecke, Ph.D.

 

DATE:

September 8, 2006

 

SUBJECT: 2006 Legislative Changes Relating to School Start Dates

 

As many of you are aware, the 2006 Legislature adopted a change to Section 1001.42(4)(f), F.S., regarding the

responsibility of district school boards to set school start dates. Prior to this change, this section of law required

school boards to “Adopt policies for the opening and closing of schools

and fix uniform dates

.” The new

requirement provides that school boards shall “Adopt policies for the opening and closing of schools and fix

uniform dates; however, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, the opening date for schools in the district

may not be earlier than 14 days before Labor Day each year.”

  

The Legislature made no change to the provision regarding setting “uniform dates” and had previously allowed

other programs within school districts, such as year-round schools and Department of Juvenile Justice programs,

to run on a calendar that is different from that of the local public school system. This same precedent is

applicable under the newly revised language.

 

Therefore, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, the opening date for all public school facilities within a

district must be uniform, and school cannot begin any earlier than 14 days before Labor Day, with the exclusion of

year-round and Department of Juvenile Justice programs.

 

Year-round schools and other nontraditional calendars that do not adversely impact annual assessments of

student achievement are authorized by

Section 1003.03, Florida Statutes.

 

Department of Juvenile Justice facilities are authorized by Sections 1003.51 and 1003.52, Florida Statutes.

 

For additional questions, please contact Alan Ramos in the Bureau of School Improvement at (850) 245-0745, or

by e-mail at alan.ramos@fldoe.org.

 

CPY/cf/ar

 

 

CHERI PIERSON YECKE, PH.D.

CHANCELLOR, K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0509 • www.fldoe.org