St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

The Michigan Senate has passed legislation aimed at providing scheduling flexibility for schools in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula affected by a recent ice storm. The storm caused significant damage and power outages across several counties.

Senator John Damoose, representing Harbor Springs, supported the legislative effort. He emphasized the importance of addressing concerns from parents and school officials about the impact of the storm on the current school year. "There are so many things to address in the wake of this historic ice storm," said Damoose. He highlighted that this action provides necessary assurance for summer plans and employment, praising bipartisan cooperation in moving the legislation forward.

House Bill 4345 proposes exempting districts from meeting the standard requirements of 1,098 hours and 180 days of pupil instruction for the 2024-25 school year if certain conditions are met. One such condition is if a district is located wholly or partially in a county under a state of emergency declared by the governor.

The governor issued executive orders declaring a state of emergency for Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle counties.

Damoose noted that this measure allows schools closed during the state of emergency to have additional time waived for this academic year. "This was an emergency that was dropped into these districts’ laps through no fault of their own," he stated. He acknowledged it as an urgent issue with the school year ending soon and expressed gratitude to those involved in advancing and supporting this legislation. "This vote sent a strong message to the affected communities that we are standing with them."