COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Ohio lawmakers have proposed letting school districts take up to four additional weather-related days off this year, following a call from the governor.
Republican state Reps. Brian Hill of Zanesville and Tony Burkley of Payne and introduced the measure on Monday.
“Approximately a third of the state’s school districts have already used five or more calamity days, and the winter is far from over. One of my districts is approaching ten calamity days,” Burkley said.
Schools are currently allotted five calamity days for the year, with school districts making up calamity days beyond the fifth. Burkley and Hill’s legislation would allow four additional calamity days, bringing the total number of days to nine for the remainder of the school year.
GOP Gov. John Kasich had earlier in the day urged the addition of some extra calamity days on a one-time basis because of this year’s unusually severe weather.
“Giving schools a few extra snow days this year will be helpful and let everyone stay focused on the top priority when weather hits, keeping kids safe,” he said.
With the approval of the state operating budget, schools will switch from using a measurement of days to using a mandated number of hours starting with the next school year.
Ohio law allows schools five “calamity” days a year before they must start adding days to the school year. Kasich enacted legislation in 2011 increasing the number of calamity days from three to five.
Kasich says extending the school year would “wreak havoc” on school budgets and schedules.
His call came as the second deep freeze this month was forecast. Temperatures in central Ohio remained below zero Tuesday morning and classes were cancelled at nearly all schools and colleges in the area. More sub-zero temperatures and wind chills are in the forecast for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.