How is the school calendar determined?

How is the school calendar determined and is it necessary to have a winter break?

Several factors determine the district calendar including state mandates, a county wide common calendar, community needs, Professional Development obligations, and days decided through negotiations between the Board of Education and union groups. Michigan law requires all public school districts to start after Labor Day and, most recently, requires a common calendar for all districts in the same county. Vacation time reflected in the common calendar is only the minimum that all districts must follow. This means that individual districts can have additional days off during the year to meet the needs of the community. For example, time off during Christmas is part of the common calendar for all Wayne County schools. However a district may decide to also have an extended break in February as part of a mid-winter break.

To officially determine one full school year, the State of Michigan requires all students to attend a set number of hours each year. Districts may adjust the length of a school day or the number of days in order to reach the required hours.