NASBE’s Kristen Amundson talks with the Wall Street Journal about state efforts to make up lost instructional time from snow days. Read an excerpt below.
“…Officials in Maryland, Delaware and Ohio have cleared the way for waivers that would truncate the school year by several days, and a New Jersey district has opted for Saturday sessions. Schools in Michigan and Connecticut have also grappled with the issue.
Though many winters yield a fair share of cancellations, this year stands out for some states. In Georgia, hit by ice storms, officials said a quarter of school districts were given flexibility on weather-related closings—the first time such a large number were affected.
Students need time to master content, but extending the year isn’t ideal, said Kristen Amundson, executive director of the National Association of State Boards of Education in Arlington, Va. It isn’t just an issue of holding students’ attention, she said. Schools might lack air-conditioning, many teachers take college courses, and summer camps start. …”