Anonymous wrote:I don't know why a teacher would be any different than a parent with a child at home. And if the teacher cannot come in, like any other job, they take a vacation day. The idea that it is necessary to close an entire school district because a few schools have ice or snow, seems crazy. We don't close the whole school district when the power goes out in one. And it is even more maddening in that the school district will likely try to find a way not to make them up, which means are kids are receiving less school, particularly when you factor in the excessive two-hour delays.

The schools don't have ice or snow. The roads and sidewalks have ice or snow.

Anonymous wrote:So how do we lobby to at least split the county in two for weather-related emergencies? (In two halves--north/south or urban/rural--I just think the county is too large to have one decision govern all schools). Who's in charge of that? And how do we deal with the teacher who lives, in say, Gaithersburg, but who teaches in Bethesda? Her kids' schools would be closed but she'd have to come and teach my children in Bethesda?

How do we deal with the kid who lives in, say, Gaithersburg, but who goes to school in Bethesda?

I don't know why a teacher would be any different than a parent with a child at home. And if the teacher cannot come in, like any other job, they take a vacation day. The idea that it is necessary to close an entire school district because a few schools have ice or snow, seems crazy. We don't close the whole school district when the power goes out in one. And it is even more maddening in that the school district will likely try to find a way not to make them up, which means are kids are receiving less school, particularly when you factor in the excessive two-hour delays.

So how do we lobby to at least split the county in two for weather-related emergencies? (In two halves--north/south or urban/rural--I just think the county is too large to have one decision govern all schools). Who's in charge of that? And how do we deal with the teacher who lives, in say, Gaithersburg, but who teaches in Bethesda? Her kids' schools would be closed but she'd have to come and teach my children in Bethesda?

Anonymous wrote:I still wait for the day the county figures out how to zone itself or something so the close-in areas don't have to go along with the far-flung areas.

I agree! Other areas in which I have lived divide the counties by the cities or towns and surrounding area within each county, each with separate school districts that make independent choices about weather closures.

I believe private schools only have to be in school 175 days. I don't know an hours equivalent. But it seems like many privates have days longer than MCPS elem. schools. Back with the '09-'10 waiver, the state said that the minimum days for public schools that year could be 175 and private was 170.

And, PP, great research you did.

Okay I am the previous poster and then I decided not to be so lazy. This is what I found. Sorry it's long but it is interesting.

Length of School Year: A minimum of 180 school days or 1080 school hours is required by Maryland state law.

Number of Public School Districts: There are 24 public school districts in Maryland.

Number of Public Schools: There are 1475 public schools in Maryland. ****

Number of Students Served in Public Schools: There are 848,412 public school students in Maryland. ****

Number of Teachers in Public Schools: There are 58,463 public school teachers in Maryland.****

Number of Charter Schools: There are 42 charter schools in Maryland.

Per Pupil Spending: Maryland spends $13,706 per pupil in public education. ****

Average Class Size: The average class size In Maryland is 14.5 students per 1 teacher. ****

% of Title I Schools: 21.0% of schools in Maryland are Title I Schools.****

% With Individualized Education Programs (IEP): 12.1% of students in Maryland are on IEP's. ****

% in Limited-English Proficiency Programs: 5.1% of students in Maryland are in limited-English Proficient Programs.****

% of Student Eligible for Free/Reduced Lunches: 38.3% of students in Maryland schools are eligible for free/reduced lunches.****

Ethnic/Racial Student Breakdown****

White: 45.5%

Black: 37.9%

Hispanic: 10.0%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.1%

American Indian/Alaskan Native: 0.4%

School Assessment Data

Graduation Rate: 82.2% of all students entering high school in Maryland graduate. **

ACT/SAT rank: 196 students per 1000 in Maryland had a score of 25+ on the ACT or a 1780+ on the SAT. ***

What is the mandated amount of days kids need to be in school? Is it a federal mandate or does it vary by county or state? Does any one know?

Anonymous wrote:A few years ago (and also several times over the last couple of decades), they have decided to simply extend the school day by 15-30 minutes for the last several weeks of the school year to make up the missed time. It does mean that secondary schools get just a couple of minutes added to each period.

When was the one 'a few years ago'?

A friend of mine out of state had their day extended by about 6-8 weeks one winter for several missed days over their allotted number. It started slightly earlier (maybe 7 minutes earlier) and ended about 15-20 minutes later than usual. it wasn't the last X weeks of the school year, but more like March and April.

For 1 day, it would not take long to make up the hours. You shouldn't need to make up for the lost lunch/recess period.

We shall see what BOE decides. But let's get through next week, first.

A few years ago (and also several times over the last couple of decades), they have decided to simply extend the school day by 15-30 minutes for the last several weeks of the school year to make up the missed time. It does mean that secondary schools get just a couple of minutes added to each period.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC said the teacher said that they could extend each day be 15 minutes instead of adding days at the end of the year. Is that right? I'd love that.

How would that work for high school? Each period would be 2 minutes longer (actually a little less than 2)? Does that really achieve anything? I'd rather have them use a teacher work day or some other day before AP tests. Pointless to add a day at the end of the year.

Maybe they add 15 minutes to one period at a time. Not sure if this is even true, just what my DC said.

Anonymous wrote:They have always requested and received waivers instead of tacking additional days to the calendar.

Because we have had snow emergencies. This time we have not.

They have always requested and received waivers instead of tacking additional days to the calendar.

Anonymous wrote:My DC said the teacher said that they could extend each day be 15 minutes instead of adding days at the end of the year. Is that right? I'd love that.

How would that work for high school? Each period would be 2 minutes longer (actually a little less than 2)? Does that really achieve anything? I'd rather have them use a teacher work day or some other day before AP tests. Pointless to add a day at the end of the year.