Grasmick to propose waiving 180-day rule for state schools

by Marcus Moore
Staff Writer
Gazette.net

‘We have to be sensitive to the weather,' state superintendent says

State Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick is planning to request a waiver for some of the instructional days school systems would have to make up because of this week's snowstorms.

Grasmick will ask the state school board later this month to waive three or four instructional days, she told the Gazette on Thursday.

Under state law, school systems are required to provide 180 days of instruction to their students. However, some systems have sought waivers of the 180-day rule due to the snow blanketing the state.

Back-to-back storms have kept schools closed this week and forced school systems to use all of their snow days.

For each instructional day lost because of inclement weather, the school year is extended one day.

Some school systems are concerned about losing much-needed instructional time for students, but "we have to be sensitive to the weather," Grasmick said. "We're going to be looking at what's viable."

Some systems are seeking to hold classes Monday, which is Presidents Day, and Grasmick said she would allow them to open their schools. However, weather forecasters predict another 3 inches or more of snow Monday.