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State lawmakers consider snow day forgiveness

Flickr User Mark Goebel
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On Tuesday, state lawmakers will consider legislation to help school districts that have to make up snow days.

Severe weather and bitter cold forced many Michigan schools to exceed the number of allowable snow days this year.  A bill going before the state House Education committee would give school districts a break if the governor declares an emergency because of the weather.

Peter Spadafore is with the Michigan Association of School Administrators.   He says they support the bill and other similar legislation…

“We’re kind of looking at all the concepts out there and trying to craft a grand bargain solution to making sure snow day forgiveness and student instruction are taken care of this year.”

Spadafore says doing away with a required waiver for districts to start classes before Labor Day, and online instruction credit during bad weather could help avoid instruction lost to snow days.

Without a break from the state, many schools will be forced to add at least a week to the end of the school year in June. 

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005.