According to laws on upper secondary schools the annual school period for students should not be shorter than 9 months; thereof should teaching days not be fewer than 145. According to information from the upper secondary schools there were between 144 and 156 full-time teaching days during the school year 2007-2008. The average number of full-time teaching days was 148, which is increase of two days from the previous school year. In addition the number of other teaching days was between 0 and 4 (with one exception), or 2 on the average. On average there were 2 more full-time teaching days for pupils in the spring than in the autumn semester.
Between 8 and 32 days (with one exception) were only used for examination and assessment in the upper secondary schools. The two schools teaching home economics stand out with fewer days used for exams, since in these schools exams and assessment often take place during teaching days. On average 25 days were used for examinations and assessment, which is one day less than during the previous school year. In some cases students in the last year in schools using a grade system get fewer full-time teaching days than younger students but more examination days instead.
A clause in a regulation on the operation of upper secondary schools states that the number of teaching and examination days should not be fewer than 175. In 11 schools there were fewer than 175 teaching and examination days, but 13 schools in the previous school year.
Teachers’ wage contracts presume a total of 175 teaching and examination days during the school year, and 4 additional working days annually. The total number of teachers’ working days in 2007-2008 turned out to be between 175 and 205. The average number of all teachers’ working days was 182, increase of two days from last year. Thereof 178 days, on average, were during the annual school period.
According to information from the schools 6 schools operate according to a grade system and 29 schools have a unit-credit system.
The data collection indicates that 21 upper secondary schools have a special education department.
Information on the number of teaching days, examination days and other teachers’ working days was obtained from 35 upper secondary schools. Two schools, Menntaskólinn Hraðbraut and Snyrtiskólinn operate according to a three semester system and are not included in the data above.