Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-16 (2026)

Length of school year

✓ current as of May 2026
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Each school district shall provide in each school year no less than one hundred eighty days of actual school sessions for grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, nine hundred hours of actual school work for full-day kindergarten and grades one to twelve, inclusive, and four hundred fifty hours of half-day kindergarten, provided school districts shall not count more than seven hours of actual school work in any school day towards the total required for the school year. Remote learning shall be considered an actual school session for purposes of this section, provided such remote learning is conducted in compliance with the standards developed pursuant to subsection (b) of section 10-4w. If weather conditions result in an early dismissal or a delayed opening of school, a school district which maintains separate morning and afternoon half-day kindergarten sessions may provide either a morning or afternoon half-day kindergarten session on such day. As used in this section, “remote learning” means instruction by means of one or more Internet-based software platforms as part of a remote learning model.

(1949 Rev., S. 1350; 1961, P.A. 86; 1967, P.A. 186, S. 1; P.A. 77-262; P.A. 79-128, S. 4, 36; P.A. 81-78, S. 1, 2; P.A. 82-106, S. 1, 2; P.A. 85-37, S. 1, 2; P.A. 96-161, S. 1, 13; P.A. 98-243, S. 13, 25; P.A. 21-46, S. 17; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 392; P.A. 23-160, S. 17.)

History: 1961 act added provisions for computing half a school day and for dismissal because of weather conditions, and changed the technical language; 1967 act included nursery schools in provision for two and one-half hour school day; P.A. 77-262 established two hour session as school day when nursery school or kindergarten dismissed early because of weather conditions or scheduled early closing; P.A. 79-128 deleted qualifying phrase “For the purpose of apportionment” with regard to determination of school days; P.A. 81-78 required that beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1983, each school district shall provide no less than 450 hours of actual school work for nursery schools and kindergartens and no less than 900 of actual school work for grades one to twelve; P.A. 82-106 repealed requirement that no less than 450 hours of actual school work be provided for nursery school and kindergarten students; P.A. 85-37 amended section to require 180 days of actual school sessions and to allow school districts to count up to seven hours per school day towards the required yearly number of hours; P.A. 96-161 removed requirements for the length of the school day, added requirement for no less than 450 hours of kindergarten for a school year and added provision allowing school districts which maintain separate kindergarten sessions to provide either a morning or afternoon session if weather conditions result in an early dismissal or delayed opening of school, effective June 3, 1996; P.A. 98-243 added language to set different requirements for half and full-day kindergarten programs, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 21-46 added provisions re virtual learning and defined “virtual learning”, effective July 1, 2021; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 redefined “virtual learning” as “remote learning” and replaced “an in-person or” with “a” in the definition, and replaced references to “virtual learning” with “remote learning”, effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 23-160 made technical changes, effective June 28, 2023.

Cited. 152 C. 151; 187 C. 187; 195 C. 24; 238 C. 1.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases, 1962–2013 · leading case: Sheff v. O'Neill, 678 A.2d 1267 (Conn. 1996).
Sheff v. O'Neill, 678 A.2d 1267 (Conn. 1996). · cites it 2× “For example, the state identifies the educational interests that must be implemented by the local school boards; General Statutes §§ 10-4a and 10-4b; sets the minimum length of the school year; General Statutes § 10-15; sets the minimum length of the school day; General Statutes…”
Bd. of Educ. v. State Bd. of Educ., 709 A.2d 510 (Conn. 1998). · cites it 4× “The parents’ claim for transportation on the four days in question here, and for similar days in the future, is valid in light of these three points.”
Scinto v. Stamm, 620 A.2d 99 (Conn. 1993). “The plaintiff, a graduate of Georgetown Law School, a distinguished law school, obtained a converted score of 262.”
United States v. Hylton, 944 F. Supp. 2d 176 (D. Conn. 2013). · cites it 2× “Conn. Gen.Stat. § 10-16. Therefore, for about 12 weeks out of the year, Ms.”
Gaudio v. Romanov, 1 Conn. Cir. Ct. 275 (Conn. App. Ct. 1962). “§§ 10-16. This disposes of the appeal from the order restoring the case to the docket.”
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