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Committee hears bill letting northern Michigan districts extend school year after widespread ice storm
Summary
Representative Kevin Cabot told the House Education and Workforce Committee that a once‑in‑a‑generation ice storm left hundreds of thousands without power and that House Bill 4,345 would let affected districts decide locally whether to extend the school year into July.
The House Education and Workforce Committee on April 16 heard testimony on House Bill 4,345, a measure sponsored by Representative Kevin Cabot that would give local school districts affected by a recent ice storm the flexibility to extend their school year into July if they need to make up missed instructional days.
Rep. Cabot described the storm as "a once in a generation ice storm" that left roughly 300,000 people without power, and said some areas were without electricity for eight days or longer. He told the committee crews from across the state and country responded and that some utility providers reported damage far larger than prior storms; he said, as relayed by local officials, that Mount Morency County was among the hardest hit.
Cabot said some districts in the Upper Peninsula already faced large numbers of make‑up days due to snow — he cited statements from local superintendents that some schools had already experienced more than 90 inches of snowfall this winter — and he argued the bill would "hold students harmless" by giving local educators authority to set an extended calendar tailored to local recovery and needs.
Committee members asked whether superintendents had requested additional assistance beyond calendar flexibility. Rep. Cabot said the bill was intended as a narrowly tailored, timely fix so districts would not be penalized for days missed and that sponsors were consulting local superintendents, including Gaylord area superintendents, on further needs.
Written testimony and cards supporting the bill were entered into the record from multiple education organizations, including the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators, the Michigan Association of School Boards, the Michigan Association of Superintendents, and the Michigan Education Association.
Representative Cabot asked the committee to advance the measure so districts could avoid penalties and retain flexibility while recovery continues in northern counties.
