After Indiana’s Department of Education denied Indianapolis Public Schools’ announced two-hour delay for the Monday after the Super Bowl, IPS says it will implement a one-hour delay.
On Feb. 8, high schools will start an hour late, at 8:30 am, and go to 3:00 pm. Elementary students who usually start school at 9:05 am will begin at 10:05 and will dismiss at 4:10 pm instead of 3:40 pm. Elementary schools that normally begin at 9:15 am will open at 10:15 am and will dismiss at 4:20 pm rather than 3:50 pm.
Students will get home about half an hour later than on a typical school day. There will be no after-school tutoring and no early afternoon extracurricular bus runs that day.
IPS’ original announcement created a fire storm between IPS and Indiana’s Department of Public Instruction.
There are plenty of good memories from the first time the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl in Miami three years ago. Then Sunday turned into Monday and IPS had a little trouble getting its engines going – literally. The IPS bus fleet couldn’t get out on time because the bus drivers failed to show up on time. An unscheduled two-hour delay turned into just canceling school altogether.
Certainly the sub-zero temperatures played a part, but the state’s largest school district didn’t want to take any chances of children waiting at the bus stops again this year. Superintendent Eugene White planned ahead, calling for a two-hour delay for the start of school next Monday (Feb. 8) after the Super Bowl.
The State of Indiana said it would deny an emergency waiver if IPS chose to implement a two-hour delay on February 8.
“Again, our position was very clear that the decision that was made and was announced does not meet the provisions of the law and our intent was to give them some options that would allow them to abide by the law and not compromise kids education,” said Dr. Tony Bennett, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Bennett says IPS could have pushed both the start and ending time of the school day back by two hours or cancel the day altogether and make up at a later time like other parochial schools are doing. He says protecting the five-hour elementary and six-hour secondary school day is paramount.
“I know there are situations that the superintendent is trying to address. My concern as always is that we don’t compromise the integrity of our instruction of our children to solve these adult-related problems,” said Bennett.
A school corporation that cancels school for an entire day is required to make up that lost instructional day. School cancellation decisions are made by the local school corporation. State law requires schools to have 180 full instructional days per school year.
according to wthr.com
