The Texas Education Agency calls for public school students to make up days that they\u2019ve lost due to weather closures if that involves just one or two days, according to Jake Kobersky, TEA\u2019s Director of Media Relations.<\/p>\n
However, if a school district builds in extra time to its school calendar, that would not be necessary, he said Wednesday. And that time is actually assessed in hours, not days, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that it\u2019s not a day requirement, it\u2019s an operational requirement, as long as the district meets its 75,600 minutes operational requirement, they\u2019re fine and it\u2019s going to be fully funded. They wouldn\u2019t have to make up those days as long as they meet the seventy five six.\u201d<\/p>\n
The operational minutes have to be in-person, he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost every district accounts for bad weather days or makeup days,\u201d Kobersky said. He said he hadn\u2019t seen any waiver requests yet.<\/p>\n
The question arises because of last Monday\u2019s school closures in Houston ISD due to the freeze.<\/p>\n
School districts with extended days off can apply for waivers with the state upon a board vote directing the administration to do so, Kobersky said. While the first two days are not eligible to submit waivers, he said, adding however that \u201cthey can always ask.\u201d<\/p>\n
We reached out to Houston ISD several times about their plans but did not receive an answer from its public relations office about the district\u2019s plans. We will update if we hear back from them. <\/p>\n