Weekly early release days proposed in Hillsborough schools

The Hillsborough teachers union is proposing an early release day for students every week, in part to make time for a new initiative aimed at improving teacher effectiveness.

The school district started monthly early release days on Wednesdays two years ago to give teachers more time for preparation. The teachers union, however, had asked in the past for weekly early release days, saying the demands on their time is greater than ever.

Last year, the district added a second early-release Wednesday in most months.

Since then, the district landed a historic, seven-year, $100 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help improve teacher effectiveness.

One provision of the Gates initiative is peer mentoring and evaluation for all teachers, a process that will take time they don't now have, said Jean Clements, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association.

"There are more requirements to have teachers have conferences with administrators and peers," Clements said. "There is so little time for planning, and we are a high performing district."

The union's proposal is part of ongoing contract negotiations with the district.

"It's on the table," district spokeswoman Linda Cobbe confirmed.

Clements said teachers aren't tied to Wednesdays as the early release date. Mondays or Fridays would work, too, she said, though some concerns have arisen about absenteeism if families turned early-release days into three-day weekends.

Other Florida school districts, including Pinellas, have already instituted an early student-release day once a week, Clements said.

But the idea doesn't sit well with some parents, in part because it cuts two hours of learning time and in part because parents will have to arrange for additional day care.

Adding early-release days sparked the creation of a Facebook page by opponents, "Parents against Half Days at Hillsborough County Schools."

The page had 19 fans at midday today.

Antje Cook's son Michael is a fourth grader at Ballast Point Elementary. She doesn't oppose the move but knows parents who would have difficulty paying for extra child care.

"That would be fine, because I'm a stay-at-home mom, but I don't know how it is for people who have to work," Cook said.

Cobbe said the district would provide after-school programs for a fee.

The contract negotiations are expected to wrap up before the start of classes Aug. 24, but classes will begin even if they don't, Cobbe said.