Michigan House passes "snow day" bill for ice storm-affected districts
A request to allow some Northern Michigan schools additional days off this year has cleared the state House and is going to the state Senate.
The bill was introduced April 17 by State Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, whose district includes several of the school districts affected by a devastating ice storm March 28-30. Some schools were out of session for two weeks because of the power outages and storm damage.
The bill passed the House with unanimous support.
"While no one is happy that this ice storm took our kids out of the classroom, extending instruction past the 4th of July is not an appropriate remedy," Cavitt said. "I've spoken to teachers and administrators who say summertime instruction is challenging and ineffective. Students are checked out, and much of what teachers say will likely go in one ear and out the other."
Michigan schools do have some leeway in setting their academic calendars, but the state requires at least 1,098 hours and 180 days of student instruction. There is some wiggle room built in for emergency days off. Michigan has allowed occasional allowances because of severe winters, but that is a case-by-case basis.
House Bill 4345 is specific to the 2024-25 school year and to districts who are in counties covered by an already-issued emergency declaration from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Those counties include Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle.
"These kids sat at home for two weeks without power. They helped parents chop wood, clean up debris, keep pipes from freezing, and manage the overall disaster that was this ice storm. These kids did their part; they shouldn't lose a month of their summer break because of a situation entirely out of their control," Cavitt said.
The plan now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
