MARSS Appendices Minnesota Department of Education
Appendix B Last Updated June 2024 Page 1 of 6
Days in Session Length of Day
Appendix B
Instructional Days/Length of Day
An Instructional Day is a day during which all students in a particular grade and school are required to attend
and participate in school activity for the full school day together. Partial student days are considered
Instructional Days but the school must compute the average length of day. Refer to the section titled “Length of
Day.”
Count the instructional days carefully from the school calendar. Audits of several districts have revealed
misreported counts of instructional days. It is impossible to accurately claim students' membership days using
an erroneous count of instructional days.
It is possible for two schools in a district to have a different number of instructional days. It is also possible for
different grades in a school to have a different number of instructional days, especially if the school runs
kindergarten all day on alternate days or if seniors are excused from the final day(s) of the school year. Days on
which seniors are not scheduled for classes but other grades must attend, may not be counted as instructional
days for seniors.
Tournaments/Off-Site Activities
Days on which some students are released to participate in a school activity, transportation is provided, students
are supervised by school staff at the activity and instruction is provided for students who do not participate in
the off-site activity can be reported as an instructional day for the school and grades affected. However, if the
off-site activity is not required and school is not held for students who choose not to participate, the day cannot
be reported as an instructional day.
Late Start/Early Dismissal
Days on which classes start late or dismiss early because of emergencies that are beyond the control of the
school board may be counted as Instructional Days for the school and grades affected. The students in these
schools and grades are reported in membership. Days on which school is canceled entirely are not considered
instructional or membership days. In instances when school is canceled after buses have been sent out and after
the scheduled start time, the day may still be reported as an instructional day and a day in membership if the
students have been assembled at the school site. Mark all students absent unless attendance is taken. Students
need not be marked absent if the day is not counted as an instructional day.
When a half-day voluntary prekindergarten, school readiness plus or kindergarten class is canceled due to a late
start or early dismissal, that day is not counted as an instructional day in the Minnesota Automated Reporting
Student System (MARSS) A school file or as membership for the students. Specifically, when the morning
voluntary prekindergarten, school readiness plus or kindergarten students do not have classes due to an
emergency late start but the afternoon voluntary prekindergarten, school readiness plus or kindergarten
MARSS Appendices Minnesota Department of Education
Appendix B Last Updated June 2024 Page 2 of 6
Days in Session Length of Day
students do have classes, the morning students will have one fewer instructional and membership day.
Conversely, when the afternoon voluntary prekindergarten, school readiness plus or kindergarten students do
not have classes due to an emergency early dismissal but the morning voluntary prekindergarten, school
readiness plus or kindergarten do have classes, the afternoon students will have one fewer instructional and
membership day.
Refer to MARSS Procedure 6 for emergency closings and reporting for early childhood, voluntary
prekindergarten and kindergarten students with disabilities.
Labor Day Start Date
Student Instructional Days cannot be scheduled until after Labor Day, with the exceptions listed below:
• Charter schools can start as early as July 1. This will be indicated on the school calendar that the school
provides to the department each summer for the following school year.
• Districts with remodeling projects of $400,000 or more can start prior to Labor Day by sending a written
notification to School Finance so that the MARSS edit program can be updated. Refer to Minnesota
Statutes 2009, section 120A.40, subdivision 1(b).
• Districts cooperating with districts in another state can start prior to Labor Day by sending a written
notification to School Finance so that the MARSS edit program can be updated.
• Schools with state-approved learning year programs, e.g., area learning centers, can start the optional
portion of their school year in June after the end of the just prior school year. The membership that
occurs in June is considered part of the following school year.
• Schools with state-approved flexible learning year program under Minnesota Statutes 2015, sections
124D.12 through 124D.127 can start prior to Labor Day but no earlier than July 1.
• Early childhood special education (EC) can begin the school year as early as July 1.
• Non-instructional days, such as teacher in-service workshops and/or parent-teacher conferences can be
held prior to Labor Day. They may also be held after the school year has ended for students. These days
do not count as instructional or membership days.
• Districts with special legislation can start as early as provided by the legislation, but no earlier than July
1.
• Early childhood screening can occur anytime between July 1 and June 30.
End of School Year
All schools must end the school year by June 30, including learning year programs.
Minimum Number of Instructional Days
Minnesota Statutes 2017, section 120A.41, requires the school board’s annual calendar to include at least 165
days of instruction for a student in grades 1 through 11 unless a four-day week schedule has been approved by
the commissioner under Minnesota Statutes 2015, sections 124D.12 through 124D.127. This language applies to
all types of school districts except charter schools. This includes independent school districts and education
MARSS Appendices Minnesota Department of Education
Appendix B Last Updated June 2024 Page 3 of 6
Days in Session Length of Day
districts, i.e. cooperatives, and intermediates districts. Education districts are formed by school districts, so
programs they operate on behalf of member districts need to meet the same requirements. Refer to Minnesota
Statutes 2003, section 123A.17, subdivision 4. Charter schools, independent districts and all other districts types
must provide a minimum number of annual instructional hours:
• 350 for voluntary prekindergarten, school readiness plus
• 425 for half day kindergarten.
• 850 for full-day, daily kindergarten.
• 935 for grades 1 through 6.
• 1,020 for grades 7 through 12.
The local school board retains the authority to modify the school calendar after the school year has started.
Canceled School Day
When a school day is canceled for any reason (e.g., inclement weather, health/safety issues with a building), the
local school board must decide whether to make up that day later in the school year and to formally amend the
school calendar.
When a Charter school changes its calendar, a copy of the new board-adopted calendar should be forwarded to
School Finance and its authorizer.
Options for making up lost time include:
• Extend the school year calendar
• Convert non-school days to school days
• Lengthen the school day
• Add partial days
Financial considerations when a school day is cancelled include:
1. The Average Daily Membership (ADM) for students whose membership is calculated in terms of hours is
impacted. For example, early childhood special education, voluntary prekindergarten, school readiness
plus and kindergarten disabled students’ ADM is based on the actual number of scheduled instructional
service to a statute minimum number of hours. The scheduled hours of service are fewer when a school
day is canceled and the student’s ADM may be less than had school been in session.
2. The ADM for learning year students, including State-Approved Alternative Programs (SAAP), is based on
the greater of the actual instructional hours in the programs’ core school year or the statute minimum
number of instructional hours. When the core year instructional hours fall below the statute minimums,
students are unable to generate 1.0 ADM during the core year in a seat-based setting.
3. The ADM for concurrently enrolled and dual enrolled alternative program students is reduced when the
annual instructional hours at the traditional school falls below the minimum instructional hours. The
traditional school’s ADM is not affected in this case.
MARSS Appendices Minnesota Department of Education
Appendix B Last Updated June 2024 Page 4 of 6
Days in Session Length of Day
E-Learning Days
Effective Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 school boards and charter schools may adopt e-learning plans that provide up to
five digital or e-learning days due to inclement weather. E-Learning days are defined as instructional days where
a school offers full access to online instruction provided by students' individual teachers due to inclement
weather. E-Learning day plans are specific to those school sites and/or grade levels that are able to deliver
online instruction to all students. Requirements of the plan include consultation with the teachers,
accommodations for students who lack access to internet at home or digital devices, and accessible options for
students with disabilities.
Since e-learning days are clearly defined as “school offers full access to online instruction” a plan must account
for both teachers providing online instruction and students accessing that instruction, which requires them to
have a device and Internet. The provision of availability by telephone is a means to provide instruction
to students who have insufficient access, but not intended as a primary means of instruction.
The district must notify parents and students of the potential for e-learning days at the beginning of the school
year and at least a two-hour notice before the school start time that students will follow the e-learning day plan
on a scheduled instructional day. It requires teachers to be accessible online and by phone during normal school
hours on an e-learning day.
E-learning days are reported as regular instructional days on the MARSS A School File. Students enrolled on an e-
learning day would generate one day of membership. The length of the school day is reported as the same
length that was originally scheduled had the students attended at the school site.
Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) encourages districts not to use the term “E-Learning” unless they’re
specifically referring to an E-Learning Day Plan as referenced and defined in Minnesota Statutes 2023, section
120A.414. The use of certain terms can lead to confusion. Districts should use the terms digital learning days,
flex days, and other terms to refer to other scheduled alternative instructional days or optional instructional
days that are not counted as days of instruction in MARSS. It’s important for the district to clarify exactly what is
meant.
Certain Holidays
Districts may contract with teachers to hold school on any of the holidays listed below. However, at least one
hour of the day “must be devoted to a patriotic observance of the day” for all but Columbus Day under
Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 120A.42.
• Martin Luther King’s birthday
• Washington’s birthday
• Lincoln’s birthday
• Veteran’s Day
• Columbus Day
Classes may not be scheduled at independent school districts on the days listed below under Minnesota Statutes
2023, section 645.44, subdivision 5. When the holiday falls on a Saturday, the prior Friday is considered the
MARSS Appendices Minnesota Department of Education
Appendix B Last Updated June 2024 Page 5 of 6
Days in Session Length of Day
holiday. When the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is considered the holiday. Charter schools are
exempt from this statute although transportation might be an issue if the charter school relies on the local
school district for transportation services.
• New Year’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day
Kindergarten Students with Disabilities
There are no Minnesota Rules or Statutes that set a minimum length of day for kindergarten students with
disabilities. However, Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 126C.05, subdivision 1(c), states that membership and
attendance for these students are to be reported in terms of a ratio of hours of instruction provided to 850
hours. This ratio may not exceed 1.0 (1.00 ADM). A district may claim as many membership hours as both
recommended in each of these students' Individual Education Plan (IEP) and scheduled. MARSS programming
will hold the students' total ADM and pupil units to no more than 1.0. The ADM will be prorated for students
with more than one enrollment record.
Early Childhood Special Education (EC)
There are no Minnesota Rules or Statutes that set a minimum length of day for prekindergarten students with
disabilities. However, Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 126C.05, subdivision 1(a) states that membership and
attendance for these students are to be reported in terms of a ratio of hours of instruction provided to 825
hours. This ratio may not exceed 1.00 (1.00 ADM). A district may claim as many membership hours as both
recommended in each of these students' Individual Education Plan (IEP) and scheduled. MARSS programming
will hold the students' ADM to no more than 1.0. The ADM will be prorated for students with more than one
enrollment record.
Length of Day
Report the Length of School Day in Minutes, excluding meal times. At the secondary level, a reasonable passing
time may be included. At the elementary level, a supervised recess during the day may be included in the length
of day. If length of day is altered during the year, use the Flexible Scheduling worksheet described below, to
compute the average length of day to report.
This report is posted to the department’s website
(http://education.mn.go
v): Districts, Schools and
Educators>Business and Finance> School Finance > MARSS-Student Accounting > MARSS Reporting Instructions.
MARSS Appendices Minnesota Department of Education
Appendix B Last Updated June 2024 Page 6 of 6
Days in Session Length of Day
Flexible Scheduling
Flexible Scheduling Report is a worksheet for districts/schools/grades that include one or more partial
instructional days on their School File. This worksheet assists schools in calculating an average length of day to
report as Length of Day in Minutes on the MARSS A School file when the actual length of day varies. This report
need not be returned to the department; however, a copy of the completed report must be kept on file at the
school district for audit purposes. This report should be considered as back-up material for the district’s MARSS
data and must be kept on file at least three years.
A partial school day is defined as one that is scheduled to be shorter than the normal school day. The day may
be scheduled to be shortened for any reason.
Emergency shortened days can be considered normal school days for the purposes of MARSS reporting. In these
cases, the Flexible Scheduling Report does not need to be used. However, grades or days that are cancelled
completely for any reason are not reported as instructional or membership days.
Snow Days/Teacher Strikes
It is the school board’s responsibility to set the school calendar and to determine whether canceled days must
be made up at a later date. Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 120A.41 requires school districts to provide
instruction for a minimum number of hours and days in the school year. There is a criminal penalty under
Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120A.32 for willful non-compliance with this requirement. Willful non-
compliance is a misdemeanor; a school officer or superintendent found guilty under this provision is subject to a
fine not to exceed $10 or by imprisonment for not more than 10 days. There is no specific provision in law for
state aids to be reduced if a district does not provide instruction for a certain number of days. However, ADM
could be negatively impacted in some cases. Refer to the section called “Canceled School Day” for more
information.
If you have further questions, contact MARSS
(marss@state.mn.us).
