1. (1)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (1) and Subsection 53F-2-102(4), an LEA shall provide educational services over a minimum of 180 school days each school year.

   1. (b)(i) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b)(ii), an LEA that participates in the National School Lunch Program shall provide school meals on each day that the LEA schedules toward the LEA's 180 educational service days described in Subsection (1)(a).

      1. (ii) The requirement to provide school meals described in Subsection (1)(b)(i) does not apply to:

         1. (A) an unplanned school closure or unplanned learn from home day due to snow, inclement weather, or other emergency;
         2. (B) a day that an LEA governing board reallocates as a teacher preparation or teacher professional development day as described in Subsection 53F-2-102(4)(d);
         3. (C) a day that an LEA counts in student membership for professional development or parent-teacher conference days as described in Subsection (6); or
         4. (D) a day where the LEA provides educational services while all the LEA's students engage in distance learning.

   2. (c) An LEA may seek an exception to the number of school days described in Subsection (1)(a):

      1. (i) except as provided in Subsection (1)(c)(ii), for a whole school or LEA as described in Rule R277-121;
      2. (ii) for a school closure due to snow, inclement weather, or other emergency as described in Section R277-121-5; or
      3. (iii) for an individual student as described in Section R277-419-11.
2. (2) An LEA may offer the required school days described in Subsection (1)(a) at any time during the school year, consistent with the law.
3. (3) An LEA shall plan for emergency, activity, and weather-related exigency time in its annual calendaring.
4. (4) Minimum standards apply to a public school in all settings unless Utah law or this rule provides for a specific exception.
5. (5) An LEA's governing board shall provide adequate contingency school days in the LEA's yearly calendar to avoid the necessity of requesting a waiver except in the most extreme circumstances.

6. (6)(a) A school may conduct parent-teacher and student Plan for College and Career Readiness conferences during the school day.

   1. (b) Parent-teacher and college and career readiness conferences may only be held for a total of the equivalent of three full school days for the school year.
   2. (c) Student membership for professional development or parent-teacher conference days shall be counted as that of the previous school day.
   3. (d) The final decision and approval regarding planning time, parent-teacher and Student Plan for College and Career Readiness conferences rests with an LEA, consistent with Utah Code and Board administrative rules.

7. (7)(a) An LEA may designate no more than a total of five educational service days at the beginning of the school year for the assessment of students entering kindergarten.

   1. (b) If an LEA designates educational services days for kindergarten assessment:

      1. (i) an LEA shall designate the days in an open meeting;
      2. (ii) an LEA shall provide adequate notice and explanation to kindergarten parents well in advance of the assessment period; and
      3. (iii) assessment time per student shall be adequate to justify the forfeited instruction time.
8. (8) An LEA shall approve total instructional time and school calendars in an open meeting.

KEY: education finance, school enrollment, pupil accounting

Date of Last Change: February 7, 2025

Notice of Continuation: June 16, 2026

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53E-3-401(4); 53F-2-102(7); 53E-3-501(1)(e); 53E-3-602(2); 53E-3-301(3)(d); 53G-4-404