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On average, there are between 175 to 180 school days in a year, which means there are between 25 and 25.7 full school weeks a year, and 40 weeks counting weekends and holidays.Sep 18, 2019
In summation, there is an average of 35-36 weeks, 175-180 days, and about 9 months in a school year. Based on that average of 180 days, we spend 2,340 days in school in our lifetime of grades K-12; that’s 6.4 years!
While state requirements vary on the number of instructional days and hours in the year, the majority of states set the school year at 180 days (30 states). Eleven states set the minimum number of instructional days between 160 and 179 days, and two states set the minimum above 180 days (Kansas and Ohio).
How did we land on 180 days? In the early days of American public education, schools ran like libraries—free classes were held, and children only attended when it was convenient. … As American labor laws changed and child labor was outlawed, children were freed up to attend school more regularly.
Pupils in maintained schools are expected to attend school for at least 190 days a year (38 weeks).
Comparisons to other professions
My personal view is that being paid for the 13-weeks holidays is reasonable because teachers work very long hours in term time. I think any argument about pay and conditions would be better focused on workload, or raising pay based on it being for all 52 weeks.
At 33 weeks a year, Irish second-level teachers fared even better than those at primary level. Their English and Scottish counterparts teach for 38 weeks a year. However, in Germany, Australia and the Netherlands, second-level teachers instruct for 40 weeks a year. In Denmark, this rises to 42 weeks a year.
Age during school year | England and Wales: National Curriculum (plus Foundation Phase in Wales) | Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland Curriculum |
---|---|---|
9-10 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
10-11 | Year 6 | Year 7 |
11-12 | Year 7 | Year 8 |
12-13 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
Average number of hours in the school day and average number of days in the school year for public schools, by state: 2007–08 | ||
---|---|---|
State | Average number of hours in the school day | Average number of days in the school year |
United States | 6.64 | 180 |
Alabama | 7.03 | 180 |
Alaska | 6.48 | 180 |
The academic year typically runs from late August or early September until May or June, depending on the length of the year and number of the holiday, vacation, and snow days occurring during the year.
Students are expected to attend school daily. Consistent daily attendance is critical for a student’s academic success. The State of California considers ten days of absences for one school year, for any reason, excessive. Another important consideration is California’s policy of positive attendance reporting.
State | Minimum amount of instructional times per school year (by grade, if applicable) | School start/finish |
---|---|---|
In days | ||
New Mexico | † | District option |
New York | 180 | District option |
North Carolina | 185 | 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. |
Year | 2019 |
---|---|
Number of weeks | 52 weeks and 1 day |
Number of days | 365 |
Leap year? | – |
Qualified teacher salary
These ranges, from the main rate to the highest upper rate, differ between countries across the UK: England (excluding London) and Wales – £25,714 to £41,604. London – £26,948 to £42,780 (fringes), £29,915 to £45,766 (outer), £32,157 to £50,935 (inner) Scotland – £32,994 to £41,412.
Teachers are only paid for the days they are contracted to work. Most full-time employees in the private sector receive training on company time at company expense.
What is the Average Salary of a Teacher? The average salary for a teacher is € 30,550 per year in Ireland. In the last 12 months, the average wage has not changed by 0% compared to the previous year.
Across the country, teachers often trade their summer vacation for other work opportunities to make ends meet. Recent data from the National Survey of Teachers and Principals showed nearly one in five teachers hold a second job during the school year – and teachers say they need to work during the summer, too.
Irish teachers are among the highest paid in Europe, a new report by the European Commission shows. The average gross salaries for primary teachers in Ireland in 2019 and 2020 was €58,975 – the fourth highest in the EU – ranging from teachers aged 25-34 earning €49,529 on average to those aged 55-64 earing €73,747.
In schools in England and Wales, Year 13 is the thirteenth year after Reception. It is normally the final year of Key Stage 5 and since 2015 it is compulsory to participate in some form of education or training in this year for students who finished Year 11 at an educational establishment in England.
Year 8 is usually the second year of Secondary school (commonly referred to by students as high school after most middle schools were abolished).
Student Age (as of September 1, 2021) | American Grade Equivalent |
---|---|
13 years old | Grade 8 |
12 years old | Grade 7 |
11 years old | Grade 6 |
10 years old | Grade 5 |
What are the school hours in Ireland? Primary school children usually start between 8:30 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. Children finish between 1.10 p.m. and 2 p.m. in Junior & Senior infants, while older children spend another hour in school and finish between 2:10 p.m. and 3 p.m.
The academic year lasts from September, the 1st to June, the 30th. Thus in Ireland, the summer holiday are always from July, the 1st to August, the 31st.