Ah, the venerated snow day. It’s a time when children don’t have to go to school and get to gleefully play at home instead.
But those days of mirth and merry could be gone in New Jersey if some state politicians have their way.
The state Senate last Thursday voted 39-0 to pass a bill that would allow virtual classes to be counted as part of the 180-day school instruction requirement.
In practical terms, the bill would make it so that schools could offer remote classes if they’re forced to close for things like inclement weather, a state of emergency, a public health order “any other circumstance that requires the closure of the schools of the district.”
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“Now we have the ability to conduct remote learning during a weather emergency and not lose a day of instruction due to snow storms or other hazardous weather,” Sen. Nicholas Sacco, D-Hudson, one of the bill’s sponsors, told NJ.com. “Our hope is that this will help districts to avoid extending the school year as we continue to see more extreme weather events.”
To host a day of virtual instruction, the bill would require districts to provide written notification to the board of education and executive county superintendent. The districts would need to attest that all students have access to computers, broadband or any other technology they would need for virtual classes.
The bill must still be passed by the state Assembly before heading to Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk for possible signature.
