Some had cushion already built in
As power outages and icy road conditions caused by inclement weather forced schools to close, academic calendars had to be adjusted to account for those missed days, but some schools could submit waivers to avoid making up days if possible.
All county schools closed for the entire week, but a few posted on social media that their academic calendar had enough open days available to not make up days at the end of the year or extending school hours.
Cumby ISD, for instance, posted Wednesday that the planned staff development day Feb. 26 is now a regular school day with normal release times. Using this day, according to the post, allowed the district “preserve our bad weather days and not use our contingency days.”
Como-Pickton built enough time in their calendar to “to make it possible that students will not have to make up these missed days,” the district wrote in a post.
In guidance to districts, the Texas Education Agency said waivers could be submitted if power outages forced operations to halt altogether. Sulphur Springs ISD announced Tuesday that the district and its remote instruction would be closed “due to power outages and dangerous conditions.”
The guidance, according to the Dallas Morning News, advised schools with power to continue remote instruction if possible.
According to current TEA guidelines, schools must make up the first two days missed due to inclement weather. Districts usually account for that in creating the calendar, but if the closure lasts for longer than two days, the district can apply for a waiver.
Hopkins County schools expect to return to operations Monday.