Possibility of waiver offered for school days lost to snow

By JIM TALBERT\Staff
RICHMOND – Some school students could get a break from make up days.
Senator Phillip Puckett’s office has announced that the Department of Education has set up a waiver system for system’s that lost a large number of days to inclement weather.
“I am pleased to announce that I have been working closely with the Department of Education to gain assistance for the school divisions of Southwest Virginia for lost school days as a result of this year’s extreme winter weather.  Most school divisions have missed an extraordinary amount of days this winter, with some exceeding 20 days lost due to the continual snow storms and cold weather which caused severe and hazardous road conditions.  Many parents, teachers, school administrators, and other interested citizens have contacted my office expressing concern and seeking guidance on the requirements for making up the lost school days and instructional time.  I have been working with the Virginia Department of Education and they have developed a procedure where school divisions can apply for a waiver from the requirement that school divisions provide additional teaching days or teaching hours to compensate for school closings resulting from a declared state of emergency.  If the local school board desires a waiver, it shall submit a request to the State Board of Education.  If evidence of a good-faith effort is provided by the local school division to reschedule as many days as possible then the State Board of Education will provide a waiver from the requirement to make-up lost teaching days or hours,’ Puckett said.
He encouraged any system that needed a waiver to apply as soon as possible. He said his office would be happy to assist with the waiver process set forth by the code of Virginia and the Department of Education.
Puckett said information on the wiaver process had been distributed to area school superintendents. Every school system in the area has been victimized by the bad weather and some have lost 20 days or more to bad weather.