Bill would cap number days schools need to make up because of ice storm

In response to the January ice storm, state legislators are considering a bill that would cap the number of make-up days required for schools.

Rep. Terry Swinger, D-Caruthersville, introduced the bill, which will mainly affect school districts in Southeast Missouri. Swinger said three schools in his district missed more than two weeks because of the storm. He said extending the school year beyond 10 extra days would be disruptive to summer school and family vacation schedules, creating an attendance problem.

"School attendance drops appreciatively when you have to make up days, and that's a big concern," he said.

The legislation awaits a vote, yet to be scheduled, in the House. Under current law, schools are required to make up six missed days and half of each additional day to meet the state-required 174-day minimum.

Setting a maximum

The bill would offer a temporary relief for the 2008-2009 school year, setting the maximum amount of extra days at 10. Similar legislation was passed last year to help districts in southwest Missouri after an ice storm in the Springfield area.

Area schools will have to make up days, but most are not expected to miss enough school to exceed the 10-day mark.

"I would hope we don't have any more snow days," said James Welker, superintendent of the Cape Girardeau School District. "Of course, we never know."

This year, the district canceled five days, four during the ice storm. Welker said students will make up those days at the end of the year.

The Sikeston School District canceled classes for seven days during the storm. Because the district schedules more days than the required 174, it is more flexible, said superintendent Stephen Borgsmiller. So far, students need to make up three days.

"We're not as impacted as the districts that schedule the minimum days," he said.

Borgsmiller said the legislation is a much-needed morale boost for the harder-hit areas.

"Somewhere somebody's got to say enough's enough," he said. "How can we make this better?"

Pushing into summer

Students at Oran School District missed eight days during the year. They will make up two of those days during spring break and two at the end of the year.

Kelly School District missed six days during the ice storm. Superintendent Don Moore said students will lose most of their spring break and attend one extra day at the end of the year.

Capping the additional days at 10 prevents the school year from pushing too far into summer school. Moore said teachers need time to prepare and parents need time to decide whether to enroll their children. The bill is a necessary measure to relieve those issues for districts that struggled during the storm, he said.

"It will help the schools down south where they just suffered for two weeks," Moore said.

abusch@semissourian.com

388-3627

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