The Michigan House voted this week to excuse four additional school days that were wiped out by mid-March storms, a targeted move aimed at sparing dozens of northern and western districts from tacking on make-up time at the end of the year. The dates in question, March 12, 13, 16, and 17, would count as instructional days for schools in the counties named in the bill or any county covered by a governor-declared state of emergency. Backers say the change recognizes that widespread power outages, impassable roads, and flooding left schools with no real way to stay open.
As reported by CBS Detroit, sponsors described the closures as "extraordinary circumstances" that made classroom operations impossible. Rep. Ken Borton (R‑Gaylord) told the outlet that lawmakers should not "penalize" communities for storm damage, while Rep. Joseph Fox (R‑Fremont) called the change "common sense" because the weather made attendance impossible. Supporters stress that the relief is narrowly focused on districts hit hardest by the March storms.
What the bill does
House Bill 5797 would amend Section 101 of the State School Aid Act to let qualifying districts count up to four additional days as instructional time for the 2025‑26 school year. That option would only be available to districts located wholly or partly in the counties named in the bill, or in any county where a governor-declared emergency was in effect. The measure specifically ties the forgiven days to the closures on March 12, 13, 16, and 17. The bill text and the full county list are available in the official record at LegiScan.
How Michigan counts snow days
Under state law, districts must provide at least 1,098 hours and 180 days of instruction each year. The first six emergency cancellations are automatically forgiven; after that, districts either have to make up the time or seek waivers to avoid penalties. The Michigan Department of Education’s 2025‑26 Pupil Accounting Manual explains how forgiven days, waivers, and any forfeiture of state aid are calculated, and is available through the Michigan Department of Education.
The department also told districts in November 2025 that a prior 15‑day virtual instruction authority had been repealed, removing a workaround some schools had used during extended closures; that memo is posted by the Michigan Department of Education.
Districts already stretched
Many northern districts were already scrambling after the March storms, with some pushing back the last day of school or leaning on waivers to stay within state requirements. Benzie County Central Schools, for example, reported using 10 snow days this year and turning to waivers after the March closures left the district short of the required days, according to local reporting from the Record Patriot. HB 5797 would retroactively let certain March closures count as instructional time, which could spare districts like Benzie from tacking on yet another makeup day.
What’s next
House Republicans celebrated the vote and said the measure now heads to the Senate for consideration. Sponsors argued the bill offers targeted relief for communities that took the brunt of the March damage, according to a release from Michigan House Republicans. The proposal still needs approval from the Senate and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature before it can become law. For the official bill record and status, see the entry at LegiScan.
Legal note
If enacted, the temporary exception would prevent eligible districts from facing state aid forfeitures tied to falling short on days or hours because of the specified March closures. Without legislative relief, districts that do not hit the 1,098‑hour and 180‑day benchmark can face proportional reductions in state funding, as provided in statute and detailed by the Michigan Department of Education.
