LANSING, Mich. – Snow days may no longer be needed for school districts across Michigan as many students are learning online amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Many people wonder if virtual instruction will take the place of snow days since schools are already offering classes online, MLive.com reported.
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Bill DiSessa, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Education, said the state’s guidance on snow days remains the same for students attending classes in-person. But students learning remotely won't be as lucky because he said the department does not expect requests for snow days for online classes.
Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Beal said administrators can plan for students to finish schoolwork at home with enough notice.
“If we know in advance that a storm is coming, we will probably plan for a virtual day," Beal said. "But in the event that the road conditions are unexpectedly dangerous in the morning, we may need to call a snow day which would include both in-school and those students that are at home.”
Beal noted that some students may not have an internet connection or proper equipment for virtual learning.
Sandy Maxson, superintendent of the K-12 da Vinci Institute charter school district in Jackson, said virtual school may be used if inclement weather keeps students out of class for many days.
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 133,134 as of Friday, including 6,876 deaths, state officials report.
Here’s a look at more of the data.