NY A06693

Allows school districts to operate on a flexible schedule based on equivalent instructional hours rather than the traditional 180-day requirement, giving local school boards discretion to modify the number of instructional days while maintaining total required instruction time

Requires school boards to conduct at least one public hearing with 30 days notice before implementing an alternative schedule, and to consider factors including educational quality, impact on primary grade students, collective bargaining negotiations, and effects on working parents needing child care

Maintains state aid eligibility for schools using equivalent hours, with aid reductions calculated proportionally based on hours of noncompliance rather than days missed

Requires school districts to certify the number of instructional hours to the Department of Education by August 1st each year, with any state aid deductions for noncompliance applied in the following fiscal year

Directs the Commissioner of Education to establish regulations setting minimum required hours of pupil instruction per year