LANSING — State Rep. Darrin Camilleri (D-Brownstown) announced today he’ll be working on a bill to increase the amount of waiver days schools can apply for from three to five to account for extenuating circumstances, like last week’s polar vortex.
Under current state law, each district can cancel six school days per year with the option to file a waiver for three additional days. Any closures beyond that can jeopardize state funding, leading some to argue the setup may force schools to choose between keeping their funding and protecting their students from dangerous weather conditions. In response to this concern, Rep. Camilleri issued the following statement:
“Last week, we had a governor-declared State of Emergency due to the weather, and for many superintendents around the state, there was really no choice but to close schools in their districts for the safety of kids and teachers. We want to make sure we’re giving superintendents the flexibility they need to make decisions that are best and safest for students and faculty. I’m getting to work right away to develop meaningful policy solutions and working with stakeholders across the field to ensure we are providing our young people the high-quality education they deserve without putting them in harm’s way.”
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