Keller @ Large: Mass. Schools Running Out Of Snow Days
BOSTON (CBS) - Snow days are adding up for many schools in Massachusetts. Some districts are facing tough choices about how to fulfill the required number of school days before July.
"There are a lot of communities that opened school in the middle of August," Governor Baker said Monday, and right now, they're looking prescient.
The state has the power to waive the requirement for 180 days of school, but State Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester tells WBZ that's not likely to happen.
"The United States has one of the shorter school years compared to industrialized or advanced nations in the world," Chester says, "and so we want to protect the time that we do have with students, we don't want to give that time up, and if anything we're looking to expand time with students."
That leaves districts circling options like longer school days, Saturday school, and encroaching on April vacation, knowing that while it's not unheard of for school to be open past June 30th, no one wants to hear about it.
"The parents in Worcester have been clear communicating that they were hoping that we would get out before the 30th of June so students can begin their break, there are camps and other things that families would like to do," said Worcester School Superintendent Dr. Melinda Boone.
Other states have had success with online learning during snowstorms, but that hasn't come to Massachusetts yet, leaving many cities and towns wondering why they didn't start earlier too.
Commissioner Chester and Superintendent Boone say they both would like to see the 180-day school year expanded, but it's a move that would require money and renegotiation with public school unions.
