Howard County board adopts plan to make up five snow days, shifts several school days
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Summary
After a two-hour discussion about options and state waiver rules, the board voted 6–2 to adopt 'solution 2,' which uses June 16–18 plus April and May schedule adjustments and makes next week a full day to recover five inclement-weather days and two high-school hours.
The Howard County Board of Education voted Thursday to adopt a calendar for making up five inclement-weather days and two high-school hours, approving "solution 2" after extended debate about holidays, transportation and state rules.
The adopted plan uses June 16–18, 2026 (dates already built into the calendar) and adds several changes: Tuesday, March 3 will be a full school day; Monday, April 6 (Easter Monday) will be a full day; Thursday, April 15 will be a half day for students (counting as instructional time for staff contractual reasons); and Friday, May 14 will be changed to a full day to make up remaining hours in high school.
"We are going to engage the community and have a thoughtful implementation strategy," Superintendent Barnes said during the meeting. Staff explained that Maryland regulations allow districts to use certain state-approved holidays (such as Easter Monday) as make-up days and that the Maryland State Department of Education signed off on the idea of adding minutes or hours at the high-school level to meet instructional-hour requirements.
Board members questioned transportation logistics, contractual impacts and equity implications. "Two minutes or five minutes at the start of the high school day is possible," Brian Bassett, director of communications, told the board, adding that 5 minutes is generally easier for the transportation schedule. Transportation staff said small daily schedule shifts are operationally feasible but require bargaining-unit coordination.
Miss Watts moved adoption of solution 2 and Dr. Chen seconded. The motion passed 6–2 (Yes: Dr. Chen, Ricks, Watts, Allister, Chamblee, Mallow; No: McCoy, Mosley). Chair Mallow noted the change moves the last day of school to June 18 and avoids landing on Juneteenth.
Board members asked staff to return to the calendar committee with implementation details, including clear communications to families about the new dates and contingency plans if additional inclement weather occurs.
What’s next: Staff will notify families and bargaining units about the schedule changes and post the revised calendar; the district will monitor weather and report back to the board if further adjustments or state waivers are needed.