01/07/14 Indiana Schools could get a break for cancelling classes on Monday due to the extreme weather conditions. Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, Glenda Ritz, emailed superintendents on Sunday and informed them that Indiana statute provides for grant waivers of the 180 day requirements due to extreme circumstances. Indiana statute (IC 20-30-2-3) makes it a requirement for school corporations to conduct at least 180 student instructional days.
In her January 5th email, Ritz said, “The Indiana Department of Education recognizes the exceptional circumstances that Indiana school districts face in view of tomorrow’s historically low temperatures. The Department has determined that weather forecasts indicate that conditions will be extremely dangerous for most Indiana students.”
Attached to the email was the waiver form that superintendents can submit to the Office of School Accreditation.
Ritz added, “This currently applies only to the extremely cold conditions on January 6, 2014”
However, by 2:26 p.m. on Monday, Ritz issued an additional statement saying, “Weather reports indicate that today’s extremely dangerous wind chills will be repeated during the day on Tuesday, January 7, 2014. Schools corporations that chose to close on January 7, 2014 may therefore apply for a waiver for that day through normal means.”
Carol Anders Correspondent
