A task force begins meeting today (Thursday) to discuss the amount of time Iowa students spend in the classroom and whether there should be an increase. Frank Spillers, of Atlantic, is part of the “Instructional Time Task Force,” which was created as part of the education reform package the legislature passed and the governor signed into law. Spillers was appointed to the task force earlier this month.

Mike Cormack, a former CAM School District Teacher and former Mayor of Massena, is a policy advisor with the Department of Education. He says the cost of extending the school year will be under discussion: “That’s going to be up to the group to decide, but studies tend to show between 12 to 15 million dollars per day of additional instruction is the cost. So if you add ten days, you’re already looking at a 150- million-dollar program,” Cormack says.

Cormack says some research shows that the biggest bang for the buck comes from adding instructional time only for struggling students.  “States that have done that have had positive results in doing so,” according to Cormack. “But we are going to bring in experts with a lot of different opinions, and we welcome a lot of different viewpoints.” The Instructional Time Task Force includes experts from inside and outside education, and will make recommendations to next year’s legislature, including the contentious issue of school start dates. The legislature has been sharply divided in the past on whether schools are starting classes too early in August.

(Radio Iowa)

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer says a Taylor County man was arrested on alcohol-related charges, after his vehicle nearly collided with law enforcement vehicles. The incident happened just before 1-a.m. Thursday (today). The Sheriff says a Page County Deputy was assisting Clarinda Police Department Officers on a traffic stop on Highway 2, east of the city limits of Clarinda., when a vehicle approached in the eastbound lane of Highway 2 travelling westbound. 

He says after the vehicle allegedly came close to hitting the Law Enforcement vehicles, the Deputy engaged in a pursuit.  The vehicle pulled over a short distance later.  Its driver and only occupant, 25-year old Christopher Ryan Savala, of New Market,  was arrested for O.W.I. 1^st Offense, following an investigation. Savala later posted bond, and was released.