COVID-19 pandemic propels waiver requests on teaching hours

Nearly 60 percent of Wisconsin school districts are seeking waivers

Nearly 60 percent of school districts in Wisconsin have requested a waiver for mandatory teaching hours because to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

The department has received waiver requests from 248 of the state’s 421 school districts.

To complete a school grade the D-P-I requires a minimum of 437 instructional hours a year for kindergartners, 1,050 hours for grades 1 through 6 and 1,137 hours for grades 7 through 12.

La Crosse, Onalaska and Holmen school districts all held public hearings on the matter.

The La Crosse school board is discussing the matter.

The Onalaska board approved to apply for the waiver.

And the Holmen board applied for the waiver, which was approved from by the DPI the next day.

Districts have until June 30 to apply.

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