Missouri School Districts could have new ways to deal with interruptions in students’ education caused by snow days, under a bill being offered in the Missouri House.
Representative Mike Kelley filed HB 127 dealing with school make-up days; his district number also happens to be 127. (photo; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
The proposal by Lamar Republican Mike Kelley would allow districts to create plans for students to do schoolwork from home on up to 10 days on which school is out of session for inclement weather. These “alternative instruction plans,” could include the use of online work or some other form of activity.
On the days districts utilize those plans, the state would give those districts credit for being in session.
Kelley said the concept could help districts with issues that Janson and other superintendents have raised about the problems with making up excessive missed days at the end of a school year.
The bill would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop rules regarding these alternative instruction plans. It would allow districts to begin using them in the 2018-19 school year.