Richmond Public Schools

Will students have to make up snow days?

To date, Richmond Public Schools (RPS) students have missed ten (10) days of school due to inclement weather.  Instructional time and making up lost days are decisions made by the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Dana T. Bedden.  However, the state sets a minimum requirement for the number of days and hours students must attend school.  Once a school division falls below the minimum, the state requires the local school board to make-up school days. 

Virginia Code section 22.1-98 establishes 180 teaching days, or 990 teaching hours, as the minimum required instructional time for the school year. Currently, RPS exceeds the minimum required teaching hours.  The approved RPS district calendar reflects 180 teaching days with ten days lost due to inclement weather.  With an average of 6 hours of daily teaching time, RPS exceeds the state minimum number of 990 instructional hours.  This means that students are not required to make up snow days, at this point, to meet the requirements outlined in the Virginia Code.

What happens if RPS has additional school closings and falls below the minimum required time for instruction?

In the event that additional school closings occur and RPS falls below the minimum requirement of 180 teaching days or 990 teaching hours, the state requires some teaching days/hours to be made up. The state can require RPS to make-up the first five (5) days below the minimum. The school board may apply for a waiver from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to avoid making up an additional five days (days 6 through 10) below the minimum. The same procedures require make up for days 11 through 15 and allow school boards to apply for a waiver for days 16 through 20.  Certainly, the latter is unlikely, but provides a clear illustration of the process to be taken in the event that RPS falls below the minimum of 180 teaching days or 990 teaching minutes.

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