Wake County (N.C.) district won't lengthen school day

From The Raleigh News & Observer: Wake County (N.C.) school officials say they're dropping plans to add 10 minutes to the school day this fall. The Wake school board had planned to extend the school day in case it was necessary to do so to get a waiver from a new state requirement that the school year be extended for students by five days. But last week, the state approved a process for school districts to get waivers without adding instructional time or days.

EARLIER... From The Raleigh News & Observer: North Carolina public schools will get a one-year reprieve from a new state requirement that students spend five additional days in class each year. The state Board of Education has agreed on a way for school systems to request one-year waivers so they won't have to add days to the calendar. Board members also warned they won't be as flexible about granting waivers in future years.

From The Raleigh News & Observer: School leaders across North Carolina are balking at a provision in the recently adopted state budget that would require them to extend the school year by five days. The number of required instruction hours would also increase 2.5 percent to 1,025 hours annually. School officials are complaining about the late notice, additional transportation costs and the reduction in training time for teachers.