RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue signed a law today that tweaks scheduling rules for school districts so that students could stay at their desks longer but attend class fewer days.

The omnibus measure Perdue signed Tuesday gives school districts the option to set schedules that meet for 185 classroom days or 1,025 hours beginning next year. Schools previously had to meet both hour and day thresholds.

The law also gives give state employees and teachers an extra week of leave this year.