Accreditation and Accountability

13. The academic year provides a minimum of 180 teaching days in which both teachers and pupils are in regular attendance for scheduled classroom instruction. Any request for an exception to this standard must be submitted in writing to the Commission on School Accreditation for review and action. If the Governor has declared a disaster emergency or the President of the United States has declared an emergency or major disaster to exist in this state, the local school board may request approval from the State Board of Education to operate the schools in its district for less than one hundred eighty (180) days. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151- 7(3)(c), Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-49, §§ 37-13-61 through 69, § 37-151-5(j), and § 37-151-7(3)(c).  

 

13.1 The teaching day must provide at least 330 minutes of instruction per day. Miss. Code Ann. 37-13- 67.

 

13.2 The school district must ensure that during the academic school year a minimum of 140 hours of instruction is provided for each Carnegie unit of credit offered and 70 hours for each one-half (½) unit offered, except for remedial instructional programs, dual enrollment/dual credit, correspondence courses, MS Virtual Public School courses, and innovative programs authorized by the State Board of Education.

 

13.3 No more than two (2) of the 180 days may be 60% days. Both teachers and pupils must be in attendance for not less than 60% of the normal school day. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-5(j).

 

13.4 The school district schedules preparation for graduation ceremonies in such manner that graduating seniors are absent from classes for no more than three (3) days prior to the end of the school year. (Districts Meeting the Highest Levels of Performance are exempted.)

 

13.5 The summer school/extended year program [not Extended School Year (ESY) provided through special education programs] meets all applicable requirements of the regular school program. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-49.  

 

13.5.2 Students enrolled in an extended year program complete all remaining course/subject requirements/objectives before credit for the course/subject is issued. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-