Greenwood School Superintendent Margie Pulley says she doesn’t support a bill that would give school districts the option of keeping children in class five fewer days for each of the next two academic school years.
The Mississippi Senate has voted in favor of the bill, which would set the academic year from 180 days to 175.
“We’re always looking for additional time for our students,” Pulley said today. “I would not be in favor of cutting student days.”
Supporters of the bill said the decision is based on the economy.
“I’m trying to find a way to make school districts more financially viable,” said Senate Education Committee Chairman Videt Carmichael, R-Meridian, who co-authored the proposal.
Carmichael said shortening the school year would not harm the state’s educational outcomes in the long run and would save districts money on operational costs.
Rather than scaling back, Pulley said her district is doing just the opposite. It has taken on extended school, Saturday school and summer school, as well as the Fast Track program, which brings students in over the winter holiday.
“We need every minute we can get,” Pulley said. “Cutting five days is not something I’d support.”
Individual school boards would have the choice of whether to adopt the shortened calendar.
Opponents of the bill said they feel the proposal sends the wrong message to other states.
The last thing the nation needs to hear is Mississippi is going to have less education for its children, said Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson.
That the measure would reduce costs for the school districts is not in doubt, Blount said. However, educating children less is not the way to cut costs, he said.
“This confirms what I believe is a false perception of this state, that Mississippi isn’t committed to education,” Blount said.
Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, called the bill an extraordinary step backward.
The bill also includes a measure to furlough school district staff, including teachers and administrators, for up to five days. The furloughs, which are unpaid leave days, could begin during the current school year and continue through the 2011-12 academic year.
Pulley said she would need to consult with her business manager and see data before commenting on the measure to furlough.
The furloughs for the current year could be taken at the discretion of the school boards. For the two subsequent school years, two furlough days would be mandatory, but school districts could chose to institute three additional furlough days. None of those days could be taken during classroom instructional days.
The bill must go back to the House, which could either accept the Senate’s proposal to shorten the school year or seek final negotiations on the bill.
House Education Committee Chairman Cecil Brown, D-Jackson, said he was against the idea of a reduced school year but in favor of allowing districts to set furloughs.
