MS. House Committee Considers Shorter School Year

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – House Education Committee members are lukewarm about a proposal to shorten Mississippi’s public school year from 180 to 175 days.

The committee considered House Bill 75 Wednesday, but set it aside without acting. The bill, sponsored by Committee Chairman John Moore, could come back up later.

Moore, a Brandon Republican, says he wants to make sure schools don’t have to drop holidays or hold class into June because of the school start date law lawmakers passed in 2012. It mandates that starting this fall, schools can’t start before the third Monday in August.

Moore says he believes many class days are wasted and could be dropped without hurting learning.

State Superintendent Carey Wright opposes the bill, saying research shows more instructional time yields benefits. Some committee members also oppose it.