Proposed bill would dictate school year’s start, end
State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard has introduced Legislative Bill 1001 which would affect Nebraska schools statewide.
Extracurricular activities and summer school would not be limited by the academic calendar.
Currently, each school district in Nebraska has different schedules on when the school year starts and ends, often dictated by specific events happening annually in the particular district.
Erdman’s LB 1001 would establish a statewide academic school term that would make all Nebraska school districts start after Labor Day and end before Memorial Day.
Erdman also commented that student learning is currently being interrupted by teacher in-service days and time off for events like winter and spring break.
He is wanting school superintendents to prove whether teacher in-service days are needed, or if they could be done before school starts.
He believes these mentioned days off make it difficult for parents to find child care, and it’s teaching young people they don’t need to work five days a week.
In a recent “letter to the editor,” published in the Columbus Telegram, Jen Cleary wrote that LB 1001 would require Nebraska’s teachers to sacrifice their in-service days and much-needed breaks.
In-service days provide teachers with planning days for ever-changing lesson plans, which would negatively affect both teachers and students, her letter stated.
Adam Lambert,CCS superintendent of schools, said, “I’m a firm believer in local control. Legislating is a tough job, and this is another one of those cases where the ‘one-size-fits-all’ mentality just doesn’t work. I would be in opposition of this bill,” he said
Colby Coash, who represents the Nebraska Association of School Boards, said his group is opposed to Erdman’s bill.
“I oppose state-mandated uniform openings and closings for local districts—the decision should be left to school boards,” said Coash in an online KHGI-TV story.
If passed, this bill would go into effect statewide in the 2023-24 school year.