The legislature may end up reverting the makeup days...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS sent staff a letter today stating that April 15 will now be a half day.

So April 15th will definitely be a school day and April 6th definitely will not? Or was it ambiguous on the 6th? Can someone share the text?

They didn't pick April 6 because apparently the costs of opening on that day and having to pay holiday overtime to hourly employees would be around $10 million. I would have preferred using April 6 and April 15 as opposed to extra days in June but given that explanation I can understand why they did not do so. That's a lot of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's HB 1084 and was referred to the Senate committee on 2/27

Yes, we know, but has anyone heard anything from our state senators or anyone else knowledgeable regarding the outlook and timing for this in the Senate?

It is not scheduled for a hearing for another two weeks, so will not be resolved anytime soon: https://legiscan.com/MD/bill/HB1084/2026

Does anyone know if this timeline means the Senate is likely intentionally slow-walking it and it's not going to pass? Or would they just not have a hearing at all if they wanted to kill it?

I sure hope that's the case. MCPS should not be let off the hook for its terrible planning.

Keeping schools open an extra week will cost $$$. Budget is already tight

That’s in MCPS. They should have incorporated more snow days into the calendar like they used to, and used the spring contingency days. And regardless, with a $3.4+B budget, this is going to be rounding error for them.

They could have NOT had a transition day and they will ACTUALLY use April 15 which nobody will be upset about but there is no more desirable room to add snow days. Summer already was planned to start almost week later then last year due to various holidays. Between holidays, grading days and bad weather there isn't enough room for 180 days with a full summer. Maryland schools already lack adequate break time during the school year, shortening that even more or shortening summer is awful! As long as they meet for enough hours which is more than most states require they will be fine. There is no shortchanging that is worse than any other state!

Ha ha ha!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS sent staff a letter today stating that April 15 will now be a half day.

So April 15th will definitely be a school day and April 6th definitely will not? Or was it ambiguous on the 6th? Can someone share the text?

April 6 will NOT be a school day. April 15 will be a half day. Further communication will be coming before Spring Break.

Thanks. Any other news from the email regarding the week of June 22nd?

No. It was very confusingly written. It says that they added in 4/15 to avoid having to extend the school year the way they had, and then had a section bolded titled impact on end of school year, but then it didn't convey any information about the last day. I don't know what they pay their comms people, but they are not good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS sent staff a letter today stating that April 15 will now be a half day.

So April 15th will definitely be a school day and April 6th definitely will not? Or was it ambiguous on the 6th? Can someone share the text?

April 6 will NOT be a school day. April 15 will be a half day. Further communication will be coming before Spring Break.

Thanks. Any other news from the email regarding the week of June 22nd?

No. It was very confusingly written. It says that they added in 4/15 to avoid having to extend the school year the way they had, and then had a section bolded titled impact on end of school year, but then it didn't convey any information about the last day. I don't know what they pay their comms people, but they are not good.

Their comms people were clear. The current state of MCPS makes a day in school cruel and unusual punishment, requiring the state to provide "relief" from such injustices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS sent staff a letter today stating that April 15 will now be a half day.

So April 15th will definitely be a school day and April 6th definitely will not? Or was it ambiguous on the 6th? Can someone share the text?

They didn't pick April 6 because apparently the costs of opening on that day and having to pay holiday overtime to hourly employees would be around $10 million. I would have preferred using April 6 and April 15 as opposed to extra days in June but given that explanation I can understand why they did not do so. That's a lot of money.

April 6th isn't a holiday.

[Anonymous]

The email adding April 15 was intentionally vague because they’re counting on this bill passing. They won’t officially say anything until the outcome is clear

[Anonymous]

I think they know the bill isn't passing through the state senate so the next avenue was to get a waiver from MSDE. MSDE will waive the snow days if they use the makeup day of April 15 and June 18.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they know the bill isn't passing through the state senate so the next avenue was to get a waiver from MSDE. MSDE will waive the snow days if they use the makeup day of April 15 and June 18.

I thought they need to make up 3 days and then get granted waiver

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they know the bill isn't passing through the state senate so the next avenue was to get a waiver from MSDE. MSDE will waive the snow days if they use the makeup day of April 15 and June 18.

I thought they need to make up 3 days and then get granted waiver

I believe the state language says that if the third make-up day occurs in the following week (Monday, June 22), the state may waive the third day. I think this is what they're counting on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they know the bill isn't passing through the state senate so the next avenue was to get a waiver from MSDE. MSDE will waive the snow days if they use the makeup day of April 15 and June 18.

I thought they need to make up 3 days and then get granted waiver

I believe the state language says that if the third make-up day occurs in the following week (Monday, June 22), the state may waive the third day. I think this is what they're counting on.

No, it is if the 180th day falls on a Monday. They're going to fall short. They screwed up by not sticking with March 20. They would have gotten the waiver if they did March 20, April 15, and June 18.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they know the bill isn't passing through the state senate so the next avenue was to get a waiver from MSDE. MSDE will waive the snow days if they use the makeup day of April 15 and June 18.

I thought they need to make up 3 days and then get granted waiver

I believe the state language says that if the third make-up day occurs in the following week (Monday, June 22), the state may waive the third day. I think this is what they're counting on.

This is correct!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The email adding April 15 was intentionally vague because they’re counting on this bill passing. They won’t officially say anything until the outcome is clear

I think this is it. They don't want to attract attention to the bill as it is still being debated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they know the bill isn't passing through the state senate so the next avenue was to get a waiver from MSDE. MSDE will waive the snow days if they use the makeup day of April 15 and June 18.

I thought they need to make up 3 days and then get granted waiver

I believe the state language says that if the third make-up day occurs in the following week (Monday, June 22), the state may waive the third day. I think this is what they're counting on.

This is correct!

No.

"In considering this application, the State Board of Education may waive... The final day needed to complete the 180-day schedule if that day falls on a Monday"

They won't have 179 days.

[Anonymous]

No chance they open the week of 6/22. Staffing will be low, attendance will be low, and cost to do all of this will be high. Remember, 6/23 is election day (Tuesday no school), so opening only for Monday makes no sense (in their eyes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No chance they open the week of 6/22. Staffing will be low, attendance will be low, and cost to do all of this will be high. Remember, 6/23 is election day (Tuesday no school), so opening only for Monday makes no sense (in their eyes).

They had several options to avoid it.

We had half days on Monday/Tuesday last year.