LONGER SCHOOL YEAR?

As if the federal government didn't have enough to do, it is turning its attention to longer school days. A new federal law offers financial incentives to districts that increase their school year. Congress has allocated some $72 million for the first year of a five-year program. Of course, with 45 million elementary and high school students in the country, the carrot may not be large enough to go around.

The issue of a district's school calendar should remain at the state and local level. Federal grants typically carry a long string that may be hard to cut when the funding stops. Down the road, the feds may mandate a longer school year and tie cooperation to highway or other federal funds. Don't be surprised. It has happened before with seat belts and speed limits.

Missouri currently requires a school year with a minimum of 174 days and 1,044 hours in the classroom. It isn't an extraordinary amount, but neither is it far from the national average of 175 to 180 days.

About 10 or 15 years ago, teacher contracts in Missouri mandated 180 or 182 days, including vacation days, in-service days and teacher conferences. The legislature changed the law to 174 days to guarantee the amount of time spent in the classroom.

Most districts stick pretty close to the 174 minimum, because they receive no extra state funding for extra days. Both Cape Girardeau and Jackson build some leeway in their calendars with 176 and 179 days, respectively.

Missouri law mandates both the 174 and a minimum of six hours a day in the classroom. Schools can schedule up to seven hours a day, but they receive no extra credit.

The federal program encourages public schools to move to a 210-day academic year, which many area superintendents consider a step toward year-around school. Currently, there is only one district -- in St. Charles County -- that offers classes throughout the year, but even that district doesn't offer any more actual hours of instruction. The hours simply are distributed differently.

If Missouri wants a longer school year, the legislature might consider extending the school day to seven hours and letting that count as added days. One extra hour over 174 days would mean 21 extra days in the classroom during each school year. This scenario wouldn't cut into the summer months, when teachers typically pursue additional training. Many school buildings in this region aren't air conditioned. Year-around classes could prove stifling in Southeast Missouri heat and humidity.

Area superintendents are correct to point out that a longer school year isn't a black-and-white matter. It comes down to a matter of dollars and cents. More days would require increased utility bills, higher transportation costs and, of course, increased salary demands.

State School Finance Director Vic Slaughter expects state funding for the foundation formula will fall short by $250 million in two years when it is supposed to be fully funded -- despite the whopping increase mandated by Senate Bill 380.

There is little doubt that as students spend more time on task, they will become better educated. But those decisions about calendar and school year should be left to the state and local districts where they belong. Beware of feds bearing gifts.