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Lodi Unified School District

Policy 6112 - School Day

Series: 6000 - Instruction

Policy: 6112 - School Day

Adopted: 12/08/1998

Last Revised: 01/12/2016

Download Policy 6112 - School Day PDF (English)

Download Rule 6112 - School Day PDF (English)

School Day

The Governing Board shall fix the length of the school day subject to the provisions of law.

The length of the school day shall apply equally to students with disabilities unless otherwise specified in the student's individualized education program or Section 504 plan.

The schedule for elementary schools shall include at least one daily period of recess of at least 20 minutes in length in order to provide students with unstructured but supervised opportunities for physical activity.

In establishing the daily instructional schedule for each secondary school, the Superintendent or designee shall give consideration to course requirements and curricular demands, availability of school facilities, and applicable legal requirements.

The Board encourages flexibility in scheduling so as to provide longer time blocks or class periods when appropriate and desirable to support student learning, provide more intensive study of core academic subjects or extended exploration of complex topics, and reduce transition time between classes.

Prior to implementing a block schedule program in which secondary students attend class for fewer school days, the Board shall consult with the certificated and classified employees of the school in a good faith effort to reach agreement and shall also consult with parents/guardians of the students who would be affected by the change and the community at large. Such consultation shall include at least one public hearing for which the Board has given adequate notice to the employees and to the parents/guardians of affected students.

Rule 6112

Adopted: 01/12/2016

Last Revised: 08/05/2025

Last Reviewed: n/a

Kindergarten
Except as otherwise provided by law, the average school day established for kindergarten students shall be at least three hours, including recesses but excluding noon intermissions, but no longer than four hours, excluding recesses. 

 
Recess may be counted as instructional minutes for purposes of determining the maximum school day if teacher supervision occurs. 
 
In any multitrack year-round school operating pursuant to Education Code  37670(a), the kindergarten school day may be up to 265 minutes, excluding recesses.  
 
In any district school operating an early primary program pursuant to Education Code 8970-8974, the kindergarten school day may exceed four hours, excluding recess, if both of the following conditions are met:
 
  1. The Board of Education has declared that the extended-day kindergarten program does not exceed the length of the primary school day 
  2. The extended-day kindergarten program includes ample opportunity for both active and quiet activities within an integrated, experiential, and developmentally appropriate educational program 
Grades 1-8 
Except as otherwise provided by law, the school day for elementary and middle school students shall be: 
 
  1. At least 230 minutes for students in grades 1-3, unless the Board has prescribed a shorter school day because of lack of school facilities requiring double sessions, in which case the minimum school day shall be 200 minutes 
  2. At least 240 minutes for students in grades 4-8  
In determining the number of minutes for purposes of compliance with the minimum school day for students in grades 1-8, both noon intermissions and recesses shall be excluded.  
 
Grades 9-12 
The school day for students in grades 9-12 shall be at least 240 minutes. 
 
However, the school day may be less than 240 minutes when authorized by law. Programs that have a minimum school day of 180 minutes include, but are not necessarily limited to: 
 
  1. Continuation high school or classes 
     
  2. Opportunity school or classes
     
  3. Regional occupational center
     
  4. Work experience education program approved pursuant to Education Code 51760-51769.5  
A student in grade 12 who is enrolled in work experience education and is in their last semester or quarter before graduation may be permitted to attend school for less than 180 minutes per school day if they would complete all requirements for graduation, except physical education courses, in less than 180 minutes each day.  
 

5. Concurrent enrollment in a community college pursuant to Education Code 48800-48802 or, for students in grades 11-12, part-time enrollment in classes of the California State University or University of California, provided academic credit will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of enrolled courses

6. An early college high school or middle college high school, provided the students are enrolled in community college or college classes in accordance with item #5 above
 
7. Special day or Saturday vocational training program conducted under a federally approved plan for career technical education
 
8. Adult education classes
 
For an evening high school operated pursuant to Education Code 51720-51724, the number of days, specific days of the week, and number of hours during which the program shall be in session shall be determined by the Board.
 
Grade 12 Only
Students in grade 12 shall be enrolled in at least five courses each semester (at comprehensive high schools that offer a 7-course regular schedule day) or the equivalent number of courses each quarter. This requirement shall not apply to students enrolled in regional occupational centers or programs, courses at  accredited postsecondary institutions, independent study, special education programs in which the student's individualized education program establishes a different number of courses, continuation education classes, work experience education programs, or any other course of study authorized by the Board that is equivalent to the approved high school course of study. 
 
Students may elect (with parent approval) to enroll in only five of the seven courses/periods if they are “in good standing.”  Good standing is understood to be 12th grade students who are ‘on track’ for graduation (credits earned) AND meeting (or in-progress to meet) at least one college/career Indicator below:
 
  1. Score of 3 or higher on California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) in 11th grade in English Language Arts (ELA) AND Math
     
  2. Score of 3 or higher on CAASPP in 11th grade in ELA AND a 2 or higher on CAASPP 11th grade Math AND meet University of California (UC)/ California State University (CSU) a-g requirements
     
  3. Score of 3 or higher on CAASPP in 11th grade in ELA AND a 2 or higher on CAASPP 11th grade Math AND a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Capstone with a C- grade or better
     
  4. Score of 3 or higher on CAASPP in 11th grade in ELA AND completion of State Seal of Biliteracy
     
  5. Score of 3 or higher on CAASPP in 11th grade in ELA AND a 2 or higher on CAASPP 11th grade Math AND 2 years of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) Leadership/Military Science
     
  6. Score of 3 or higher on CAASPP in 11th grade in Math AND a 2 or higher on CAASPP 11th grade ELA AND meet UC/CSU a-g requirements
     
  7. Score of 3 or higher on CAASPP in 11th grade in Math AND a 2 or higher on CAASPP 11th grade ELA AND a CTE Capstone with a C- grade or better
     
  8. Score of 3 or higher on CAASP in 11th grade in Math AND a 2 or higher on CAASPP 11th grade ELA AND 2 years of JROTC Leadership/Military Science
     
  9. An Advanced Placement exam score of 3 or higher (before start of 12th grade) AND a second Advanced Placement exam score of 3 or higher (before start of 12th grade)
     
  10. An Advanced Placement exam score of 3 or higher (before start of 12th grade) AND meet UC/CSU a-g requirements 
     
  11. A college class (3 units or more semester length) with a C- grade or better AND a second college class (3 units or more semester length) with a C- grade or better
     
  12. A college class (3 units or more semester length) with a C- grade or better AND a CTE Capstone with a C- grade or better 
     
  13. A college class (3 units or more semester length) with a C- grade or better AND meet UC/CSU a-g requirements
     
  14. A CTE Capstone with a C- grade or better AND meet UC/CSU a-g requirements
Note: High School Principals may approve 12th grade students to take only 5 classes on a case-by-case basis.
 
Alternative Block Schedule for Secondary Schools 
In order to establish a block or other alternative schedule or to accommodate career technical education and regional occupational center/program courses, the district may authorize students to attend fewer than the total number of days in which school is in session provided that students attend classes for at least 1,200 minutes during any five school day period or 2,400 minutes during any 10 school day period.
 

Legal Reference

Policy Reference Disclaimer:
These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority for the Board to enact this policy.  Instead, they are provided as additional resources for those interested in the subject matter of the policy.
 
STATE
EDUCATION CODE
37202 Equal time in all schools
37670 Year-round schools
46010 Total days of attendance
46100 Length of school day
46110-46120 Attendance in kindergarten and elementary schools
46120 Expanded learning opportunities
46140-46148 Attendance in junior high and high schools
46148 School day for middle and high school
46160-46162 Alternative schedule for junior high and high school; public hearing with notice
46170 Continuation schools; minimum day
46180 Opportunity schools; minimum day
46191 Attendance for adults in correctional facilities
46200-46208 Incentives for longer instructional day and year
48200 Compulsory full-time education
48663 Community day school; minimum school day
48800-48802 Concurrent enrollment in community college
49056 Recess
51222 Physical education; instructional minutes
51720-51724 Evening high school for minors
51760-51769.5 Work experience education
52325 Regional occupational center; minimum day
8970-8974 Early primary program, including extended-day kindergarten
VEHICLE CODE
12814.6 Teen driver's act
 
MANAGEMENT RESOURCES
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Conducting Individualized Determinations of Need
AA & IT Independent Study FAQs
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY STATEMENT
99-03 Physical Education (PE) Requirements for Block Schedules, July 2006
WESTED PUBLICATION
Full-Day Kindergarten: Expanding Learning Opportunities, Policy Brief, April 2005
WEBSITES
CSBA District and County Office of Education Legal Services https://legalservices.csba.org/#
National Association for Sport and Physical Education https://www.pgpedia.com/n/national-association-sport-and-physical-education
U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/
California Department of Education http://www.cde.ca.gov/