Board members at the Oct. 15 Talbot County Board of Education meeting asked the calendar committee to produce more creative calendar options, to include wider stakeholder representation and to explore partial regional alignment with neighboring counties.

Why it matters: The academic calendar affects families’ work schedules, childcare, staffing and coordination with neighboring counties where many staff and students live or work. Board members asked for options that balance instructional time, professional development and family burdens.

Discussion details

Board members reviewed the district requirement to provide 180 school days per state law and noted that the state is piloting hour‑based attendance in other counties but has not extended that option to Talbot County. Members urged the calendar committee to think “outside the box” while complying with the 180‑day requirement and teachers’ contract provisions about work days.

Several board members emphasized including multiple perspectives on the committee — parents, teachers and students — and requested the committee be empowered to return with a set of alternative calendars. One member cited Queen Anne’s County’s approach of producing three calendar options and asking the community to vote by survey; the board discussed the possibility of using a similar community survey to inform local choices.

Members also discussed alignment with neighboring counties to help families and staff who work in one county and have children in another. Board members said earlier talks with neighboring superintendents showed interest but noted that calendars differ across jurisdictions, so full alignment may be impractical.

Next steps

The board asked the calendar committee to continue its work, bring back several concrete calendar options that reflect diverse stakeholders’ interests and include student representation in committee deliberations.

Sources: Board committee reports and discussion recorded at the Oct. 15 Talbot County Board of Education meeting.