1. Click Here to Send a Message to Members of the Senate Elections Committee Supporting SB 248 – A Bill Requiring School Corporations Wishing to Adopt a Balanced Calendar to Take the Issue to the Voters via a Referendum. This bill also allows parents in districts currently following a balanced calendar to recall the calendar and place it for a vote!
2. Click Here to Send a Message to Members of the Senate Education & Career Development Committee Supporting School Start Date Legislation.
2012 Legislative Session Bills Filed
SB 297 – Authored by Senator Leising
Bill Highlights
SB 297 sets a 4th Monday school start date and pushes back the administration of the ISTEP+ Multiple Choice exams to the 150th to 155th day of instruction. (Click here for more information or click the bill number listed to be taken to the actual bill.)
Bill Activity:
January 23, 2011 -- Legislative Update....thanks to all the parents who took time to speak to the members of the Senate Elections Committee today and thanks to everyone who took the time to send letters.
As you know requiring schools to put the balanced calendar to a vote of the people is not something school administrators nor school board members support. It's because of everyone who took time to contact the committee members that the bill did not die! The bill was not voted on today. The reason is we didn't have enough votes to pass the bill yet and the Chair wanted to give us more time for folks to contact legislators and to work on the issue. Also, she is willing to send the issue to a summer study committee so that a study can be done and a report given to the committee next session - keeping the issue alive and giving it more support! Again, thanks to everyone who worked hard on this issue.
If you haven't yet sent a letter you still can! Just click the link: http://saveindianasummers.org/supportsb248.html
SB 248 – Authored by Senator Leising
Bill Highlights
SB 248 gives parents voting rights if a school corporation wishes to adopt a balanced calendar. Also provides a way to recall current balanced calendars and require a public vote. (Click here for more information or click the bill number listed to be taken to the actual bill.)
SB 236 – Authored by Senator Delph
Bill Highlights
SB 236 does many things including setting a post-Labor Day to June 10th school year. SB 236 exempts schools that adopt a balanced calendar from the school start date requirement of the bill. We are concerned this exclusion will act as encouragement for school districts to adopt modified or balanced calendars. The bill also offers exemptions for school corporations working with large employers in the area and schools that coordinate calendars with postsecondary educational institutions. This bill also requires cursive writing be taught in schools and ends “class” basketball. (Click here for more information or click the bill number listed to be taken to the actual bill.)
Save Indiana Summers is a non-profit, statewide coalition of parents, teachers and community members disappointed with the ever-earlier start to the school year. Our mission is to educate consumers of the education system, taxpayers and other interested people about the negative impact the early-August school start date and nontraditional school calendars have on our students, teachers and families. It is our hope that we can work with parents and school districts to help establish educationally and fiscally sound school calendars; a school calendar that allows more money to flow into teachers' salaries, classroom supplies and educational services ... without a heavier tax burden on Indiana families.
Voice Your Opinion!
Voicing your opinion on the school start date to your local legislator is the single most important thing you can do to move this issue forward.
