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Digest of Education Statistics
2012 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 198. Minimum amount of instructional time per year and policy on textbook selection, by state: 2000, 2006, 2008, and 2011
State Minimum amount of instructional time per year State policy on textbook selection, 2008 State
In days In hours State recommends or selects textbooks Local decision State standards used in recom-mendation or selection
2000 2006 2011 2011 Recom-mends Selects Either recom-mends or selects
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Alabama 175   175 180       X   X Alabama
Alaska 180   180 170 1 740 (K-3); 900 (4-12)       X   Alaska
Arizona 175 2 180 180 3 356 (K); 712 (1-3); 890 (4-6); 1,000 (7-8); 7204  (9-12)       X   Arizona
Arkansas 178   178 178 1 X       X Arkansas
California 175   180 180/175 5 600 (K); 840 (1-3); 900 (4-8); 1,080 (9-12) X         California
                         
Colorado [6 ]   160 160   435/870 (K); 968 (1-5); 1,056 (6-12)       X   Colorado
Connecticut 180   180 180   450/900 (K); 900 (1-12)       X   Connecticut
Delaware [6 ]     440 (K); 1,060 (1-11); 1,032 (12)       X   Delaware
District of
     Columbia
180 7 180 178             District of
     of Columbia
Florida 180   180 180   7208  (K-3); 9008  (4-12) X       X Florida
                         
Georgia 180 7 180 180   810 (K-3); 900 (4-5); 990 (6-12) X       X Georgia
Hawaii 184   179 180 9 915 (K-6)9,10 ; 990 (7-12)9,11 X       X Hawaii
Idaho 180     45012  (K); 81012  (1-3); 90012  (4-8); 99012,13  (9-12) X       X Idaho
Illinois 180 14 176 176         X   Illinois
Indiana 180   180 180   X       X Indiana
                         
Iowa 180   180 180         X   Iowa
Kansas 186   186 (K-11); 186 (K-11);   465 (K); 1,116 (1-11); 1,086 (12)       X   Kansas
      181 (12) 181 (12)                
Kentucky 175   175 175 1 1,062 X       X Kentucky
Louisiana 175   177 177 1 1,062     X     Louisiana
Maine 175   175 175 1       X   Maine
                         
Maryland 180   180 180   1,080       X   Maryland
Massachusetts 180   180 180   425 (K); 900 (1-5); 990 (6-12)       X   Massachusetts
Michigan 180   165   1,098       X   Michigan
Minnesota [6 ]   [6 ]   425 (K); 935 (1-6); 1,020 (7-12)       X   Minnesota
Mississippi 180   180 180     X       Mississippi
                         
Missouri 174   174 174/142 15 1,044 Missouri
Montana 180   90 (K);   360/7201  (K); 7201  (1-3); 1,0801,13  (4-12)       X   Montana
      180 (K-12)                  
Nebraska [6 ]     400 (K); 1,032 (1-8); 1,080 (9-12)       X   Nebraska
Nevada 180   180 180             Nevada
New Hampshire 180   180 180   945 (1-5); 990 (6-12)       X   New Hampshire
                         
New Jersey 180   180 180         X   . New Jersey
New Mexico 180   180 180   450/99016  (K); 99016  (1-6); 1,080 (7-12)   X     X New Mexico
New York 180 7 180 180         X   New York
North Carolina 180   180 180   1,000   X       North Carolina
North Dakota 173   173 175 1 951.5 (K-8); 1038 (9-12)       X   North Dakota
                         
Ohio 182   182 182 12 910       X   Ohio
Oklahoma 180   180 180 12 90012  (1-6); 1,08012  (7-12)   X     X Oklahoma
Oregon [6 ]     405 (K); 810 (1-3); 900 (4-8); 99013  (9-12)     X   X Oregon
Pennsylvania 180   180 180   450 (K); 900 (1-8); 990 (9-12) Pennsylvania
Rhode Island 180   180 180         X   Rhode Island
                         
South Carolina 180   180 180 1     X   X South Carolina
South Dakota     437.5 (K); 875 (1-3); 962.513  (4-12)       X   South Dakota
Tennessee 180   180 180 1   X     X Tennessee
Texas 187   180 180       X     Texas
Utah 180   180 180   450 (K); 810 (1); 990 (2-12)     X     Utah
                         
Vermont 175   175 175   Vermont
Virginia 180   180 180   540 (K); 990 (1-12) X     X X Virginia
Washington 180 14 180 180   450 (K); 1,000 (1-6); 1,080 (7-12)       X X Washington
West Virginia 180   180 180       X     West Virginia
Wisconsin 180   180 180   437 (K); 1,050 (1-6); 1,137 (7-12)       X   Wisconsin
Wyoming 175   175 180         X   Wyoming
—Not available.
†Not applicable.
X Denotes that the state has a policy. A blank denotes that the state does not have a policy.
1 Does not include time for in-service or staff development or parent-teacher conferences.
2 1994 data.
3 Or an equivalent number of minutes of instruction per year.
4 Students must enroll in at least 4 subjects that meet at least 720 hours.
5 Through 2014-15, charter schools and districts are allowed to shorten the 180-day instructional year to 175 days without fiscal penalty.
6 No statewide policy; varies by district.
7 1996 data.
8 For schools on double-session or approved experimental calendar: 630 (K-3); 810 (4-12).
9 Does not apply to charter and multitrack schools.
10 Beginning in the 2012-13 school year.
11 For the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years.
12 Includes time for in-service or staff development or parent-teacher conferences.
13 Instructional time for graduating seniors may be reduced.
14 1998 data.
15 174 days required for a 5-day week; 142 days required for a 4-day week.
16 Teachers may use 33 hours of the full-day kindergarten program and 22 hours of the grades 1 through 5 programs for home visits or parent-teacher conferences.
NOTE: Minimum number of instructional days refers to the actual number of days that pupils have contact with a teacher. Some states allow for different types of school calendars by setting instructional time in both days and hours, while others use only days or only hours. For states in which the number of days or hours varies by grade, the relevant grade(s) appear in parentheses.
SOURCE: Council of Chief State School Officers, Key State Education Policies on PK-12 Education, 2000, 2006, and 2008; Education Commission of the States, StateNotes, Number of Instructional Days/Hours in the School Year (August 2011 revision), retrieved September 22, 2011, from http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/95/05/9505.pdf; and supplemental information retrieved September 24, 2010, from the New Hampshire Department of Education, http://www.education.nh.gov/standards/faq.htm; retrieved September 24, 2010, from the South Dakota Department of Education, http://doe.sd.gov/oatq/districtaccrediation.asp; and retrieved September 29, 2010, from the Pennsylvania State Code, http://pacode.com/secure/data/022/Chapter11/s11.3.html. (This table was prepared September 2011.)

2012 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest