“Snow day” bills are popping up at the Minnesota Legislature that, for this school year, would ease state requirements on how many days school districts must actually have classes in session. Rochester Republican Carla Nelson’s bill awaits a vote in the Senate after clearing her committee Wednesday. Nelson says, “I think parents have a better access to weighing in with their school board members about how these ususual circumstances should be addressed, rather than a uniform, statewide, top-down decision that comes from the Capitol.”
In the House, Stillwater Democrat Shelly Christensen introduced a bill that would allow districts to count school closures during last month’s polar vortex as instructional days. But Senator Nelson says school districts taking advantage of eased requirements for classroom days should also strongly consider scheduling “e-learning” days when students have to stay home because of the weather.