Bethany Bump is reporting in the Times Union the New York State Education Department is looking to overhaul the 180-day school year calendar. Policymakers are considering the benefits of a more flexible school year, that could start earlier than September and be counted in hours, not days. Current state law does not allow public schools to open before September 1. Education officials will seek relief from that requirement in the upcoming legislative session in an effort to help districts meet their annual instructional requirements, state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia told the Times Union on December 18. Under the change, districts would not have to start early, but they could if they wanted to. Policymakers are also considering a proposal that school years would be counted in hours rather than days. Any change to the instructional day or year would require revisiting teacher contracts. New York State United Teachers spokesman Carl Korn said the union is still waiting to hear back from teacher leaders around the state on the proposed changes. Read the full story in the Times Union.