School districts evaluating snow days

Bartlett, Arlington and Lakeland schools are weighing make-up days for the classroom time lost to recent wintry weather. For now, spring break days are off the table , according to Bartlett City Schools superintendent David Stephens.

Both Arlington and Lakeland superintendents said the same for their districts.

The local school districts have this flexibility because they planned ahead and set a normal school day that slightly exceeds the minimum required by the state. This time accumulates and allows them to “stockpile” up to 13 days as approved by the state under TCA 49-6-3004.

The state allows the stockpiled days to be used for dangerous or extreme weather conditions, explained Tammy Mason, superintendent of Arlington Community Schools.

Once the winter weather is gone for the school year, the superintendents will make recommendations to their school boards on whether to use the stockpile days for all, some or none of the snow days. Then the school boards will have the final say-so.

Any decision not to make up days missed will be weighed against the students’ educational needs, according to a social media statement released by Lakeland School System on Monday.

Written by Carolyn Bahm, Express editor. Contact her at (901) 433-9138 or via email to bartlett.editor@journalinc.com.