Barrow Co. schools may shorten school year by a month

WINDER - A northeast Georgia school system is considering adding an extra month to summer vacation next year as a way to cut costs.

The idea is being discussed in Barrow County, where the school board has been grappling with falling local revenues and state budget cuts.

An $89 million budget tentatively approved by the Barrow County Board of Education this week would reduce the school year from 180 days to 160 days in 2012-13.

Officials say the total amount of instruction time would remain about the same as in a 180-day calendar, because each school day would be slightly longer.

School system administrators estimate that moving to the 160-day calendar would save about $441,000. The system is also proposing employee furloughs and other cost-cutting measures.