1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2act relating to the public school system, including certain
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,
6further providing for dates and times of school terms,
7sessions and commencement.

8The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9hereby enacts as follows:

10Section 1.  Section 1504(a) of the act of March 10, 1949 
11(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
12amended July 1, 1978 (P.L.575, No.105), is amended to read:

13Section 1504.  Dates and Times of School Terms and Sessions;
14Commencement.--(a)  (1)  The board of school directors of each
15school district shall fix the date of the beginning of the
16school term[.], except that, in a school district that is not on 
17a year-round education calendar, the beginning of any school 
18term for students shall not commence any earlier than the day 
19after Labor Day. The board of school directors may, upon 
20approval by the Secretary of Education, begin the school term 

1prior to the day after Labor Day for situations beyond the 
2control of the school district as a result of major construction 
3and renovation to the school building or natural disaster.

4(2)  Unless otherwise determined by the board, the daily
5session of school shall open at nine ante-meridian and close at
6four post-meridian, with an intermission of one hour at noon,
7and an intermission of fifteen minutes in the forenoon and in
8the afternoon. Upon request of a board of school directors for
9an exception to the aforesaid daily schedule, the Secretary of
10Education may, when in his opinion a meritorious educational
11program warrants, approve a school week containing a minimum of
12twenty seven and one-half hours of instruction as the equivalent
13of five (5) school days, or a school year containing a minimum
14of nine hundred ninety hours of instruction at the secondary
15level or nine hundred (900) hours of instruction at the
16elementary level as the equivalent of one hundred eighty (180)
17school days.

18(3)  Professional and temporary professional employes shall
19be allowed a lunch period free of supervisory or other duties of
20at least thirty minutes.

21(4)  The provisions of this subsection shall not be
22construed:

23(i)  to repeal any rule or regulation of any board of school
24directors now in effect which provides for a lunch period longer
25than the minimum prescribed herein or to repeal any action of
26any board of school directors taken in compliance with section 7
27of the act of July 25, 1913 (P.L.1024, No.466), entitled "An act
28to protect the public health and welfare, by regulating the
29employment of females in certain establishments, with respect to
30their hours of labor and the conditions of their employment; by

1establishing certain sanitary regulations in the establishments
2in which they work; by requiring certain abstracts and notices
3to be posted; by providing for the enforcement of this act by
4the Commissioner of Labor and Industry and others; by
5prescribing penalties for violations thereof; by defining the
6procedure in prosecutions; and by repealing all acts and parts
7of acts inconsistent with the provisions thereof," as
8amended[.]; or

9(ii)  to prevent a school district from conducting in-service
10sessions for teachers before Labor Day.

11* * *

12Section 2.  Any contractually agreed-upon school calendar or 
13process which determines the school calendar in effect on the 
14effective date of this section between a school district and its 
15professional or nonprofessional employees which is in conflict 
16with the provisions of this act shall remain in effect for the 
17duration of that contract.

18Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.