HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Is an extended school year in store for some public school students? That’s a question the Guam Department of Education will need to answer as several schools won’t be following the traditional school schedule.
The school year calendar is built around the Adequate Education Act mandate, which calls for 180 instructional days in a school year. But, because of the condition of GDOE schools, not all students will meet that mandate. Three different school schedules are in place for the start of the already-postponed start date on Aug. 23.
GDOE is starting students off on a traditional school schedule, double sessions or an alternating school schedule.
“Presently the focus is on preparing for the opening of (the school year). GDOE is also focused on having schools on modified schedules return to in-person instruction at their respective school campuses,” Michelle Franquez, GDOE interim spokesperson, told The Guam Daily Post. “We are looking at the end of September to review the statuses of our schools (and) to review the options to address the 180-instructional-day mandate.”
The alternating school schedule would follow either an internal alternating schedule or an alternate schedule with a host school. That means that two student populations will alternate on a school campus on a three-days-on, two-days-off schedule, as was done during the return of students to in-person instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of Aug. 16, Liguan Elementary, Tamuning Elementary, Inalåhan Middle, Jose Rios Middle, Maria Ulloa Elementary, Wettengel Elementary, D.L. Perez Elementary, Upi Elementary, Juan M. Guerrero Elementary, Adacao Elementary, Astumbo Middle and Benavente Middle schools were set for alternating schedules.
Waiver expired
Not meeting the mandate of instructional days is a concern Sen. Chris Barnett, who chairs the legislative committee on education, shared with the Post.
“By forcing our kids to go into schools that aren’t ready, obviously we are going to have to double session. So if we have kids going to school every other day, then I think that also raises the concern about whether or not GDOE is going to (meet the) mandated 180 days of instruction. … Although there was a waiver in a public law, that waiver expired in 2022,” Barnett said.
The waiver Barnett referenced was granted to GDOE for school years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 through the passage of Bill 286-36, due to the COVID-19 pandemic cutting into the academic years by forcing school closures.
Again faced with health and safety concerns, this time with the poor condition of school facilities, GDOE officials are exploring options.
“GDOE will need to consider whether to extend the school day, to extend the school year or to present a proposal to the Guam Education Board to waive the 180-instructional-day mandate. GDOE will host community input sessions to ensure that our island community can participate in the discussions,” Franquez said.
For months, GDOE adamantly opposed any change to the school year, as education officials said a change would have negative impacts on union contracts, pay and even the following school year.
Ashley Pascua, left, attends a Liguan Elementary School orientation with her children Vance Toves, 5, center, and Alessandra Toves, 9, at the Micronesia Mall in Dededo on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
