EKB News

As West Virginia lawmakers ponder the possible upcoming consideration of a year-round school calendar, Putnam County school teacher Delagate Brady Paxton, the House Education Vice-Chairman, says expect to see more debate during the regular legislative session. Paxton believes the 180-day calendar will be just as hot a topic during the 2010 session as it was in 2009, when lawmakers questioned whether the state's 180-day school year could be accomplished in an August to June calendar, due to so many snow days. During the regular session, Governor Joe Manchin proposed letting school start before August 26th. or end after June 8th., but teachers' unions rejected the proposal, causing it to ultimately fail. During the 2008-2009 school year, very few counties in West Virginia met the 180-days requirement. Currently, Kanawha County has three year-round schools, but Paxton says it would be extremely difficult to mix and match schedules in most West Virginia counties. An interim legislative committee met Wednesday to discuss the issue. At the meeting, Gale Gaines, an expert with the Southern Regional Education Board, told members that rearranging school calendars isn't as important as how teachers spend classroom time.