The trouble started in April when the district announced that the June 11 date it had scheduled the year before would cost $9,600 in penalties because the senior class would be two days shy of the state-required 180 days of classroom instruction.

Under state law, part of the district's state aid is withheld if all grades fail to complete 180 days of instruction.

Bensalem Superintendent James Lombardo said between 20 percent and 25 percent of Pennsylvania school districts failed to meet the 180-day standard each year, often because of snow days or other unforeseen events.

In past years, the district was willing to pay if the graduation date fell a day or two short of 180, Board President Harry Kramer said.

But this year, when some taxpayers heard about the penalty in April and raised the matter with the school board, "it just mushroomed. . . . I can understand - it is money not being spent on education," Kramer said.

In response, the board voted April 23 to extend the school year to June 13 and hold graduation on June 16, a Monday.

"At the time, it seemed reasonable. Then that started a whole new problem," Kramer said. "Families had scheduled their vacations starting the weekend before, and this would get in the way."

Students in the 435-member senior class quickly began a campaign against June 16 and asked class president Rajvi Patel to do something.

Many students and families, she said, "had already made vacation plans starting that weekend. And relatives were already set to fly in from all over the world" with plans to return home that weekend.

The board is taking no chances with the third date. A leaflet was sent home with students Monday asking seniors and their parents to e-mail, call or fax in their views on the new date by noon today.

Patel said of June 13: "I'm happy with it, and so are the students I've talked to."

Next year's graduation, Kramer said, is already set for the evening of the last day of school. The date, he said, will be established after the winter so the district will know whether makeup days must be scheduled.

at 610-701-7638 or dhardy@phillynews.com.