LANSING — The Michigan Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would forgive school days for Northern Michigan districts affected by the March ice storm.
Normally, if a district cancels school for more than six days, they have to get a waiver from the state to approve an extra 3. After that, missed days are tacked onto the end of the school year.
This year, however, that rule posed a problem for Northern Michigan schools that were forced to close because of the ice storm.
At some schools, class was not in session for close to two weeks. Adding that many days to the end of the year could mean that some students don’t show up and it could throw a wrench into preparations for the next school year.
This legislation was already passed in the house. If Governor Gretchen Whitmer signs it into law, it will let schools in Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle Counties start the summer on time.
