Majority of Wisconsin school districts request teaching hours waiver

MADISON — Nearly 60% of school districts in Wisconsin have asked the state Department of Public Instruction to waive its requirement on a set number of instructional hours due to the coronavirus.

The department has received waiver requests from 248 of the state's 421 school districts. COVID-19 canceled in-person classes beginning March 18 for the remainder of the school year.

Some school districts took weeks to transition students to online education.

The State Journal reports DPI requires a minimum number of annual instructional hours: 437 for kindergarten, 1,050 for grades 1 through 6, and 1,137 for grades 7 through 12.

Districts have until the end of the academic year on June 30 to apply for a waiver.