What hours days are required to work as a teacher

IES

National Center for
Education Statistics

• Surveys & Programs
  • Annual Reports
    • Condition of EducationDigest of Education StatisticsProjections of Education StatisticsTopical Studies
    • National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)
    • International Activities Program (IAP)
    • Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS)National Household Education Survey (NHES)
    • Common Core of Data (CCD)Secondary Longitudinal Studies ProgramEducation Demographic and Geographic Estimates (EDGE)National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS)more.
    • Library Statistics Program
    • Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B)Career/Technical Education Statistics (CTES)Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS)more.
    • Common Education Data Standards (CEDS)National Forum on Education StatisticsStatewide Longitudinal Data Systems Grant Program - (SLDS)more.
    • Distance Learning Dataset TrainingNational Postsecondary Education Cooperative (NPEC)Statistical Standards Programmore.
    • Downloads Microdata/Raw Data
      • Delta Cost ProjectIPEDS Data CenterHow to apply for Restricted Use LicenseOnline Codebook
      • ACS-ED TablesData LabElementary Secondary Information SystemInternational Data ExplorerIPEDS Data CenterNAEP Data Explorer
      • ACS DashboardCollege NavigatorPrivate SchoolsPublic School DistrictsPublic SchoolsSearch for Schools and Colleges
      • NAEP State Profiles (nationsreportcard.gov)Public School District Finance Peer SearchEducation Finance Statistics CenterIPEDS Data Center
      • NAEP Question ToolNAAL Questions Tool
      • ACS-ED DashboardACS-ED MapsLocale LookupMapEdSAFEMapSchool and District Navigator
      • BibliographyED Data Inventory
      • AssessmentsEarly ChildhoodElementary and SecondaryPostsecondary and BeyondResourcesSpecial Topics
      • NCES BlogWhat's New at NCESConferences/TrainingNewsFlashFunding OpportunitiesPress ReleasesStatChat
      • Search Publications and ProductsAnnual ReportsRestricted-use Data Licenses
        Recent PublicationsBy Subject Index A-ZBy Survey & Program AreasData Products Last 6 Months
      • About NCESCommissionerContact NCESStaffHelp

      

      Table 5.14. Number of instructional days and hours in the school year, by state: 2018 Click for the newest version of this table.

      State	Minimum amount of instructional times per school year (by grade, if applicable)			Minimum number of hours per school day	School start/finish
      	In days	1	In hours
      Alabama	180	2	1,080	6.0 (excludes lunch and recess)	District option
      Alaska	180	2	Grades kindergarten-3=740; grades 4-12=900	3	Grades 1-3=4.0; grades 4-12=5.0 (excludes intermissions)	District option
      Arizona	180	Half-day kindergarten=356; grades 1-3=712; grades 4-6=890; grades 7-8=1,000; grades 9-12=720 (excludes lunch and recess for grades kindergarten-8)	4	†	District option
      Arkansas	178	5	†	6.0 per day, 30.0 per week	Start on or after the Monday of the week in which 8/19 falls; no earlier than 8/14 and no later than 8/26
      California	180	6	Kindergarten=600; grades 1-3=840; grades 4-8=900; grades 9-12=1,080	7	Kindergarten=3.0; grades 1-3=3.8; grades 4-12=4.0	7	District option
      Colorado	160	Half-day kindergarten=435; full-day kindergarten=870; grades 1-5=968; grades 6-12=1,056	8	†	District option
      Connecticut	180	Half-day kindergarten=450; full-day kindergarten=900; grades 1-12=900	†	9	District option
      Delaware	†	Grades kindergarten-11=1,060; grade 12=1,032	3.5 (excludes lunch)	District option
      District of Columbia	180	†	Grades 1-12=6.0 (includes lunch and recess)	District option (single district)
      Florida	180	2	Grades kindergarten-3=720; grades 4-12=900	†	District option
      Georgia	180 or equivalent hours	†	Grades kindergarten-3=4.5; grades 4-5=5.0; grades 6-12=5.5	District option
      Hawaii	180	8, 10	1,080	10	†	District option (single district)
      Idaho	District option	Kindergarten=450; grades 1-3=810; grades 4-8=900; grades 9-12=990 (excludes recess, lunch, and passing periods)	5	District option	District option
      Illinois	180	5	†	Half-day kindergarten=2.0; full-day kindergarten-1=4.0; grades 2-12=5.0	District option
      Indiana	180	†	Grades 1-6=5.0; grades 7-12=6.0	District option
      Iowa	180	2	1,080	Grades 1-12=6.0 per day or 30.0 per week (excludes lunch, includes passing periods)	5	Start no sooner than August 23 and no later than the first Monday in December
      Kansas	Grades kindergarten-11=186; grade 12=181	2	Kindergarten=465; grades 1-11=1,116; grade 12=1,086	5.0	District option
      Kentucky	170	11	1,062	6.0	District option
      Louisiana	177	2, 12	1,062	7	Grades 1-12=6.0 (excludes lunch, recess, passing periods, and parent-teacher conferences)	7	District option
      Maine	175	13	†	Kindergarten=2.5; grades 1-12=5.0	14	District option
      Maryland	180	1,080; 1,170 for public high schools	†	15	District option
      Massachusetts	180	Kindergarten=425; grades 1-5=900; grades 6-12=990 (excludes lunch, recess, passing periods, homeroom, non-directed study periods and time spent receiving school services or participating in optional school programs)	†	District option
      Michigan	180	16	1,098	†	Start no earlier than Labor Day
      Minnesota	Grades 1-11=165	Kindergarten=425; full-day kindergarten=850; grades 1-6=935; grades 7-12=1,020	†	Start no earlier than Labor Day
      Mississippi	180	†	5.5	District option
      Missouri	5-day week=174; 4-day week=142	Kindergarten=522; grades 1-12=1,044	5-day week=3.0; 4-day week=4.0	Start no earlier than 10 days prior to the first Monday in September
      Montana	†	Half-day kindergarten=360; full-day kindergarten=720; grades 1-3=720; grades 4-11=1,080; grade 12=1,050	5	†	District option
      Nebraska	†	Kindergarten=400; grades 1-8=1,032; grades 9-12=1,080	†	District option
      Nevada	180	5	†	Kindergarten=2.0; grades 1-2=4.0; grades 3-6=5.0; grades 7-12=5.5 (includes recess and time between lessons; excludes lunch)	District option
      New Hampshire	180	2,17	Kindergarten=450; grades 1-5=945; grades 6-12=990	17	Grades 1-5=5.8; grades 6-12=6.0 (may include up to 30 minutes of recess for grades 1-5)	District option
      New Jersey	180	†	Full-day kindergarten=2.5; grades 1-12=4.0	District option
      New Mexico	†	Half-day kindergarten=450; full-day kindergarten=990; grades 1-6=990; grades 7-12=1,080	18	Half-day kindergarten=2.5; full-day kindergarten=5.5; grades 1-6=5.5; grades 7-12=6.0	District option
      New York	180	†	Half-day kindergarten=2.5; full-day kindergarten=5.0; grades 1-6=5.0; grades 7-12=5.5	District option
      North Carolina	185	2	1,025	†	Start no earlier than Monday closest to 8/19 with approval, otherwise Monday closest to 8/26. Finish no later than Friday closest to 6/11.
      North Dakota	175	5	Grades kindergarten-8=952; grades 9-12=1,038	Half-day kindergarten=2.8; full-day kindergarten=5.5; grades 1-6=5.5; grades 7-12=6.0	District option
      Ohio	District option	Half-day kindergarten=455; full-day kindergarten=910; grades 1-6=910; grades 7-12=1,001	†	District option
      Oklahoma	180	2	1,080	5	6.0	District option
      Oregon	†	Half-day kindergarten=450; full-day kindergarten=900; grades 1-8=900; grades 9-11=990; grade 12=966 (includes recess for grades kindergarten-3)	5	†	19	District option, but no fewer than 265 consecutive calendar days between first and last instructional day
      Pennsylvania	180	2	Kindergarten=450; grades 1-8=900; grades 9-12=990	Kindergarten=2.5; grades 1-8=5.0; grades 9-12=5.5	District option
      Rhode Island	180	2	1,080	Kindergarten=5.5; grades 1-12=6	District option
      South Carolina	180	8	†	6.0 (elementary includes lunch)	Start no earlier than third Monday in August
      South Dakota	District option	Kindergarten=438; grades 1-5=875; grades 6-12=963 (includes intermission for elementary school)	20	†	District option
      Tennessee	180	8	†	Kindergarten=4.0; grades 1-12=6.5	Start no earlier than 8/1
      Texas	†	1,260 (includes intermissions and recesses)	7	7.0	Start no earlier than the fourth Monday in August
      Utah	180	5	Kindergarten=450; grade 1=810; grades 2-12=990	Kindergarten=2.0; grades 1-12=4.0	District option
      Vermont	175	8	†	Kindergarten=2.0 per day or 10 per week; grades 1-2=4.0 per day or 20 per week; grades 3-12=5.5 per day or 27.5 per week (includes recess for grades 1-8 and excludes lunch)	Determined regionally
      Virginia	180	2	Kindergarten=540; grades 1-12=990	Kindergarten=3.0; grades 1-12=5.5 (excludes lunch and recess)	Start after Labor Day
      Washington	180	Kindergarten=1,000; grades 1-8=1,000; grades 9-12=1,080	†	District option
      West Virginia	180	†	Grades kindergarten-5=5.3; grades 6-8=5.5; grades 9-12=5.8	District option
      Wisconsin	†	Kindergarten=437; grades 1-6=1,050; grades 7-12=1,137	†	Start no earlier than 9/1
      Wyoming	175	Kindergarten=450; elementary=900; middle/junior high=1,050; secondary=1,100	†	District option

      † Not applicable. State does not have a requirement in this category.

      1 For more detailed information on state-level instructional time in days and hours, please refer to the table referenced in the SOURCE portion of this table. The table may be accessed at: https://www.ecs.org/50-state-comparison-instructional-time-policies/.

      2 District option to meet either minimum hours per school year or days per school year.

      3 For all grades, hours only apply if board submits an acceptable plan under which students will receive the educational equivalent of 180 days.

      4 Students in grades 9-12 must enroll in at least 4 subjects, in addition to the hour requirement.

      5 May include in-service professional development days, staff development, parent-teacher conferences, planning, or similar activities.

      6 Charter schools and select districts are required 175 days. More details may be found at: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/pa/lcffitfaq.asp.

      7 State specifies instructional time in minutes.

      8 May exclude professional development days, in-service education, planning, parent-teacher conferences, and similar activities.

      9 Districts may count up to 7 hours/day toward the total required for the year.

      10 Does not apply to charter and multi-track schools.

      11 185-day calendar that includes 170 instructional days, plus 4 days for professional development.

      12 Early dismissal of seniors allowed up to 10 instructional days.

      13 Students in grade 12 may have their year reduced to 170 days.

      14 Minimum length of a day is 3 hours, but the average over a 2-week period must be at least 5 hours.

      15 Schools must be open for pupil attendance for at least 3 hours.

      16 If a collective bargaining agreement that provides a complete school calendar was in effect, then this does not apply until after the expiration of that collective bargaining agreement.

      17 High school seniors’ school year may be reduced by up to 5 days or 30 hours.

      18 Thirty-three hours of the full-day kindergarten program and twenty-two hours of grades 1-6 may be used for home visits by the teacher or for parent-teacher conferences. Twelve hours of grades 7-12 may be used to consult with parents or for parent-teacher conferences.

      19 Oregon sets maximum, rather than minimum, hours/day: grades kindergarten-8=8.0 hours; grades 9-12=8.5 hours.

      20 School boards may release graduating seniors prior to the end of the school year.

      SOURCE: Education Commission of the States, 50 State Comparison: Instructional Time Policies, retrieved June 6, 2018 from https://www.ecs.org/50-state-comparison-instructional-time-policies/. Data Source.