QUINCY, MI (WTVB) – Several area school districts, including Quincy Community Schools, have exceeded their legal limit for “forgiven” snow days.
Under current state law, Michigan K-12 schools are required to provide at least 180 days and 1,098 hours of instruction per academic year. Districts are automatically granted six “forgiven” days for emergencies out of their control, such as snowstorms, extreme cold, or power outages.
Because of heavy, wet snow early Friday morning, Quincy officials made the decision around 5:30 a.m. to cancel classes. Pansophia Academy and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Branch County also decided to close, along with a number districts in Hillsdale and Calhoun counties.
When a district surpasses the initial six-day allotment, it must apply for a waiver from the Michigan Department of Education to receive up to three additional forgiven days.
Those extra days are granted at the discretion of the state superintendent for “unusual and extenuating circumstances.” If a district exceeds nine total canceled days, or if a waiver is not granted the lost time must be made up to receive full state funding.
Quincy Superintendent of Schools John Denney says the district will apply for the waiver this spring. The district also had one two-hour delay because of the weather.
While schools previously had the option to use up to 15 virtual learning days in place of in-person instruction, the current state budget has repealed that option, requiring districts to focus on physical makeup dates.
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