By By Adam Prestridge
Escambia County public school students could have an additional five days of instruction beginning in the 2006-07 school year.
Monday afternoon, the Escambia County Board of Education unanimously voted to add five days to next year's school calendar following a decision made by the Alabama House of Representatives earlier this month when it passed the 2006-07 education budget. If the Senate approves the education budget, which includes the additional days, Escambia County school officials already have it marked on their calendars.
"I'm 99.9 percent confident that the proposal will pass," superintendent Melvin "Buck" Powell said during the meeting held at Escambia County Middle School.
The Senate could make some revisions in the budget, which also includes $7 million to expand the Alabama Math, Science &Technology Initiative, $16 million in additional dollars for the Alabama Reading Initiative, $55 million more for transportation to cover escalating gas prices and $20 million to hire more school nurses. Most educators believe the budget will remain largely intact.
Also a topic of interest during the meeting was the purchase of six new school buses from Ward International in the amount of $56,423 each for a total of $338,538.
In other business, the board: