Recently the Albert Lea Area Schools district has received a few inquiries into the status of the pre-Labor Day calendar approval with the Minnesota Department of Education. As school will be starting in August next summer, an administrative process must be followed for this to occur.

This past spring, the school board approved  an earlier start to next school year for academic reasons. Statute allows the district to start early via two methods. The district can seek a long-term flexible learning year waiver, which gains approval for multiple years, or it can can seek a construction waiver. Both allow the district to start before Labor Day. Since the board approved the calendar for just one year, the administration has notified the department that it is the district’s intent to execute the construction waiver, which allows for districts that are conducting projects of more than $400,000 in cost to proceed with a pre-Labor Day start. This expense is something quite common for a district of our size. (This past summer we spent over $2 million at Lakeview.) Next summer the district will have a project at Halverson that surpasses the $400,000 threshold. Minneapolis Public Schools typically start around Aug. 24 and have been using this waiver for years.

It is unfortunate that the state government does not allow total flexibility for school districts to do what is best for their students regarding the school calendar. Until then, districts will be required to follow the waiver processes as outlined by statute.

 

Mike Funk

superintendent

Albert Lea Area Schools