- (a) Each school shall maintain a school calendar which provides for 180 days of instruction or the required number of instructional hours, which may result in fewer than 180 days.
(b) Each school district shall maintain a school year as provided below, which shall identify the total instructional hours offered and recognize that students advance upon achievement of competencies, not based on seat time, pursuant to Ed 306.22(j):
- (1) At least 450 hours of instructional time in kindergarten;
- (2) At least 945 hours of instructional time in elementary school grades 1-6; and
- (3) At least 990 hours of instructional time in each year grades 7-12.
- (c) The instructional school day of an individual student shall not exceed 5.75 hours of instructional time in elementary schools and 6 hours of instructional time in middle and high schools.
- (d) Schools shall use additional hours to reschedule lost instructional time before requesting a waiver of the amount of instructional time under RSA 189:2.
- (e) There shall be no requirement to reschedule instructional time for kindergarten if morning or afternoon kindergarten sessions are cancelled due to delayed opening or early release for students in grade 1 or higher.
- (f) Remote learning conducted in accordance with Ed 306.18(c) shall count toward the required amount of instructional time.
- (g) Advisory periods in middle and high schools shall be counted as instructional time.
- (h) Lunch time, home room periods, passing time, and breaks shall not be counted toward the required amount of instructional time. Elementary schools may count recess as instructional time for pupils in kindergarten through grade 6.
Source. (See Revision Notes #1, #2, #3, and #4 at part heading for Ed 306) #14150, eff 12-13-24