FAYETTEVILLE -- More flexibility in the start of the public school year and the length of school days could be on the way after a School Board vote Thursday evening.
The eight-member panel approved two applications -- one from Leverett Elementary School, the other from the district as a whole -- for the state's year-old School and District of Innovation classifications. Those applications now will go to Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell to be approved or denied.
Rogers, Springdale and other districts throughout Northwest Arkansas have filed similar applications in recent weeks. The deadline is May 1.
The innovation title essentially unhitches schools and districts from rigid state rules on the number and length of school days and other matters. It means the schools can experiment with their methods to see if they can improve student engagement or grades.
At Leverett, officials want to focus the entire curriculum on science, technology, engineering and math. If their application is approved, changes could come next school year.
"The thing we like about Leverett is they focus on kids as thinkers," Justin Minkel, whose 5-year-old daughter attends Leverett, told the board last month. "I am grateful for that experience so far."
The district application is less sweeping, Ginny Wiseman, associate superintendent, told the board Thursday. It asks for the ability to start the school year a week earlier in August and to make up for snow days with time added to other school days. This ability would last four years starting next fall.
The changes would address the disruption caused by weather, dampening the distraction of both summer vacation and a winter such as the last, she said.
Fayetteville missed 13 days because of snow and ice, forcing officials to hold school on Saturday. The request would let schools add on an hour to the school day instead, meaning it would take six days to make up for one missed.
"So really this just deals with time -- no other innovation?" asked board member Jim Halsell. Wiseman agreed.
NW News on 04/25/2014