School Districts Await State Guidance Regarding Make-Up Days

There is no word yet on the changes to the school calendar for area school districts, which missed nearly a week of planned school days due to power outages related to "superstorm" Sandy.

Most school districts in the area are waiting for word from the state board of education. There is a slight possibility that families may have to put off winter or spring break plans.

"We are waiting to learn whether the state will excuse the days," said Amagansett Superintendent Eleanor Tritt. "If not, we would need to consider the February or Spring breaks. However, we are inclined to think that the state will be reasonable under these very unique circumstances."

Montauk School district superintendent and principal Jack Perna said he doesn't think it's likely that school breaks will be cancelled. "I don't think that is very likely. We are also waiting to see what the state says, but our last day of school this year is June 20...I'd probably recommend going into that next week," he said, adding that the discussion is premature.

East Hampton School District superintendent Rich Burn said the issue is still under review in his district, which includes the high school and students from five other feeder districts from Montauk to Sagaponack.

State education law requires a minimum of 180 school days per school year, though the state education commissioner is authorized to excuse at most five days for extraordinary circumstances if those days could not be made up by using scheduled vacation days as make-up days. According to a memo published on the state education department's website:

The following are circumstances that may be approved by the Commissioner as extraordinary conditions: extraordinarily adverse weather conditions, an impairment of heating facilities, an insufficient water supply, a fuel shortage, a lack of electricity, a natural gas leak, unacceptable levels of chemical substances, or the destruction of a school building.

According to the state education department, a declaration of a state of emergency by the governor does not automatically mean school districts can hold fewer than 180 school days. School districts must meet the 180-day requirement in order to be eligible for state funding.

In 2011, the state legislature passed a resolution allowing school districts to be considered for an exception to the 180-day rule of up to 10 days instead of five due to extreme weather conditions such as tropical storm Irene in August of last year.

A state education department representative said Friday that a similar bill has been filed in the state legislature for this school year.

"We can't predict whether the Legislature will act to provide relief from the 180 day requirement again this year," said Antonia Valentine of the state education department. "However, a bill has been filed in the Legislature that would allow the Commissioner to excuse up to 10 days instead of 5 days this school year. The Legislature would have to act on that when they are back in session in order for it to become law."

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