DMV school districts face potential expansion as snow days affect academic calendar

Rockville, Md. (7News) – The vast majority of school districts in DMV gave students another snow day yesterday – which is now raising the question that has not been asked this year in the DC area, how many more days can schools afford?

Several blizzards this winter have affected school calendars, with some schools now facing a longer year. The dreaded words “makeup days” are now on top of the mind for many schools all over the region. This week’s storm comes a little more than a month after most schools were shut down for a week at the beginning of the year.

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If schools face several days off, they will probably have to go in at the end of June. District of Columbia has already expanded the year by at least 3 days.

Maryland’s largest school system, Montgomery County, must already use designated makeup days to accommodate the state’s required number of instructional days. The school system still needs to find out when these days will be composed.

Schools Days:

• DC extended the year by at least 3 days.
• Montgomery County needs to use designated makeup days.
• Prince George’s has spent 5 makeup days expanded until at least 18 June
• Frederick County has only a few snow days left.
• Charles and Anne Arundel are both out of snow days.
• Virginia School Systems assigns several makeup days.

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Prince George’s County has spent five makeup days so far. Schools will now be open this Friday, February 14, and on March 17 were both originally scheduled days off. The year is extended until at least 18 June. Frederick County has only a few snow days left. They will discuss and vote at a school board meeting next week. Charles and Anne Arundel counties are also both out of snow days. No immediate plans are advertised.

In Virginia, school systems work a little differently and have several more makeup days built into the school year.

“We at Prince William County have a 180-day calendar school year. We have built in our system enough capacity to withstand several snow days, ”said Babur Lateef, President of Prince William County School Board.

Fairfax County has not yet exceeded its awarded 10 snow days. In Loudoun County, the school day is already longer than what is required by the State Education Department, so no make-up days are needed.

Schools in Arlington and Prince William’s counties are still in good shape.

But plan Bs are already formulated just for the case.

“Code Red is where we close schools, Code Orange is where we move to virtual and all students are on computers and they are one-on-one with our school department. Just as we were virtual in the pandemic, we are ready to go virtual if we need it if we see a long long -lasting closure, ”added Lateef.

Stafford County Public Schools has two snow days left, and Alexandria City has used synchronous or live, virtual learning more than most school districts in the region.