Calamity days used in some districts

CINCINNATI (AP) — Some school districts in Ohio and nearby states hit by severe weather have run out of calamity days, meaning they must find a way to make up for the time missed.

Among the options: extending the academic year or making up the time during spring break.

Portions of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana were hit hard in September by a rare hurricane-force windstorm and by ice and snow this week. With more winter ahead, the academic year may get very long for some schools.

In Ohio, schools are allowed five calamity days caused by severe weather, damage to a school building and other situations that may require schools to miss days. Kentucky and Indiana don’t set calamity days statewide, leaving it up to schools to allow for their own contingency planning.

Ohio schools must have a minimum of 182 days in their calendar, and they must designate five contingency days to be used when they exceed the five calamity days provided by state law.

The 10,000-student Fairfield City Schools district near Cincinnati had missed seven days as of Thursday because of the September windstorm and winter weather.

The regular school year would have ended June 9, but at this point will go through at least June 11, said Fairfield schools spokesman Randy Oppenheimer.

In Kentucky, where schools have to schedule for their own calamity days, the 98,000-student Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Ky., adds 10 days to the end of its school-year calendar automatically.

Lisa Gross, a spokeswoman with the Kentucky Department of Education, said Kentucky schools are required to have 177 six-hour instructional days every year and make up any missed days.

Indiana has a similar system, where schools are expected to make up their days and do their own contingency planning. Many in the southern part of the state are looking at making up snow and windstorm days.