LANSING,MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Michigan House of Representatives has approved a measure that would forgive up to a dozen snow days this school year, primarily the three days that Governor Gretchen Whitmer shut down the state because of record low temperatures.
Schools get six automatically, with an option for three more if the State Superintendent grants a waiver requested by the districts. The house bill would bring the total to 12.
Oshtemo Rep. Brandt Iden says he has heard from a number of constituents on the issue.
A State Senate Committee has approved four additional snow days. Kalamazoo Representative John Hoadley says if that bill clears the upper chamber it would go to a conference committee.
He hopes because of the overwhelming support the bill got in the House, that its provisions would survive the negotiation.
School districts and parents are anxious to get it settled, so they know when they can begin planning summer vacations.
Representatives Matt Hall of Emmett Township and Aaron Miller of Sturgis were among the 7 who voted no.
Kalamazoo had 12 snow days and Mattawan Schools had 10 for the lower grades and 11 for the high school. Both Districts are waiting for the Legislature to decide whether they will have to add any days to the school year.
Portage Schools Spokesperson Michelle Karpinski says they have tentatively set Friday June 14, 2019 as a make-up day because of the 10 snow days they called this year.
She says if the legislature acts, they will go back to their original June 13th closure date.
Some rural and northern districts had more snow days than even the legislature’s help will cover
Iden says some far northern School Districts had 20 and may be in session until the end of June.
