COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio House has approved a plan to let schools take up to four additional days off this year because of the winter season’s extreme weather.
A compromise requires teachers to report on two of those days for professional development.
The measure approved Wednesday heads next to the Senate.
Snow and frigid temperatures have led many districts across Ohio to exhaust their five allowable calamity days. Some have cancelled classes for 10 or more days.
The measure’s opponents said schools aren’t doing enough to make up the lost days on the weekends or through longer school days. But, supporters of the extra days say concern about lost days shouldn’t outweigh the safety of children.
“House Bill 416 will alleviate some of the pressure on school superintendents when they are deciding whether or not to cancel school because they have already used their allotment of calamity days,” said rep. Brian Hill (R-Zanesville) who co-sponsored the bill with Tony Burkley (R-Payne).
Gov. John Kasich was those advocating adding extra snow days on a one-time basis this year.
In addition to calamity days, school districts also have the option to assign students the use of “blizzard bags” — lesson plans and teaching materials prepared in advance and posted online or provided on paper — to make up three days of lost work.
Schools will measure minimum instruction time in hours, instead of days, starting with the 2014-15 school year, which is expected to allow district officials more leeway to cancel classes without having to make up the lost time.