Milton Area School District might experience a new version of Act 80 Day due to a state law change.
Pennsylvania’s Act 56 was passed on Dec. 12 and contains various avenues that are being explored by state legislation, such as what time school can start, said Superintendent Dr. John Bickhart. The new law revises a previous law that required schools to run for a minimum of 990 hours and 180 days each year.
“We have the ability to say 180 days or 990 hours,” said Dr. Bickhart. He explained that the change gives the district the flexibility to meet the hour requirement without holding school for 180 days.
“There are certain things that don’t count time-wise,” he added. Lunch and transition times are not included in the school hours reported to the state, according to Dr. Bickhart.
According to Data and Assessment Manager Ms. Courtney Hamm, the “high school [day consists] of 368 minutes (6.13 hours).” She said the high school has 1,083.53 hours each year after lunch and transition times are deducted. She added that scheduled Keystone testing time is included in these hours.
Due to several factors, such as transportation and access to free breakfast and lunch at school, no changes will be made regarding school hours at this time, added Dr. Bickhart.
The new law will lead to days called “Act 56 Days,” said Dr. Bickhart. Essentially this can offer a snow day or two that the students will not have to make up, he explained.
While students will not be required to make up the snow days, since teachers are under contract (which includes 186 work days), Act 56 Days would allow teachers to make up the snow day while giving them extra time to plan or grade, added Dr. Bickhart.
Mr. Campbell said that in the event of snow days, it will allow students to continue to experience them without the obligations of a virtual day.
According to Mr. Campbell, Act 56 Days provide our district with the opportunity to be “more creative.”
Mr. Campbell said that later Milton will be revisiting the school start time and possibly making a change. If current legislation passes, schools will be required to start at 8:15 a.m., he added.
This would bring up the discussion of how late the school day can run and whether or not Milton will push back the end of the school day, said Mr. Campbell.
Dr. Bickhart said that he will plan for two Act 56 Days and up to five FID (Flexible Instruction Days) days in the 2024-2025 school year.
According to Dr. Bickhart, the only changes that will be made to the 2024-25 school year calendar is how make-up days will be labeled.
