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Approval Date: October 8, 2019
Updated: November 2023

EBA- Term of Instruction:
School Year

The schools of the District shall provide educational services over a minimum of 180 school days during each school year, except as follows: The Board may reallocate up to 32 instructional hours or 4 school days for teacher preparation time or professional development by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board in a properly noticed and held public meeting. If a reallocation is made, parents and guardians shall be notified of the school calendar at least 90 days before the beginning of the school year.

Unless a school day is:

• One which has been reallocated in this way
• A day on which educational services are provided to the school’s students through distance learning, or
• A day on which educational services are provided to the school’s students through distance learning, or

a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program must provide school meals on each day that is scheduled toward the 180 school day requirement.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-419-4(1)
Utah Code § 53F-2-102(4)(d) (2022)

The required days of instruction may be provided at any time during the school year as determined by the Board. The Board will approve school calendars providing for instructional time and days in an open meeting.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-419-4(2), (6)(g)

Beginning Date

Student attendance for the first semester of the regular school term shall be established by the Board pursuant to a calendar adopted annually.

Emergency/Activity Days

The annual school calendar adopted by the Board shall include exigency time for closures for emergencies, activities, or extreme weather conditions. If school is closed for these or any other reason, the instructional time missed shall be made up under the exigency time so that the minimum school program instructional requirements are met. However, the Board may request a waiver from the State Superintendent from the instructional day requirement as provided for in Utah Administrative Rules R277-121-5.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-121-5 (October 10, 2022)
Utah Admin. Rules R277-419-4(3)

Parent-Teacher and Student Plan Conferences

With Board approval, schools may conduct parent-teacher conferences and the time for those conferences may be counted as instructional time up to the equivalent of three full school days or 16.5 hours during a school year.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-419-4(6)(b)

Kindergarten Assessment

The Board may designate up to 12 educational service days at either or both the beginning or end of the school year for assessment of students entering or completing kindergarten. Assessments shall be conducted by qualified school employees. The assessment time per student must be adequate to justify the amount of instructional time used for assessment. Such action must be taken in a properly noticed public meeting, and the parents or guardians of the affected students shall be given notice of the testing days and an explanation of the assessment before the start of the school year.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-419-4(6)(d), (e) (3)

School Day

A school day is a day where the school provides educational services to students consistent with the requirements of Utah Admin. Rules R277-419-4.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-419-2(30) (July 1, 2023)

Exceptions for Students With Compelling Circumstances

The length of time an individual student is required to be in school on instructional days may be varied for students with compelling circumstances. Such variance will be established on an individual basis at the school level, according to the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan, Behavior Intervention Plan, or College and Career Readiness Plan.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-419-11(1) (July 1, 2023)