By Wendy Greenberg
After the last big snow battered the tri-state area on Sunday, January 25, students in New York City and elsewhere hunkered down with their laptops for a day of school instruction on Monday.
New Jersey students, however, had a traditional “snow day,” during which they could watch TV, shovel, go sledding, or any activity they or their families chose. The difference is a New Jersey state law that bars New Jersey school districts from assigning remote instruction during school closings for snow or inclement weather.
Because of that law, Princeton Public Schools (PPS) students (who also had a 90-minute delayed opening on Tuesday, January 27) will be making up the snow day on Friday, February 13. That day, which was supposed to be a full day of staff in-service, will now be an early dismissal day for staff and students.
“It is not unusual to have to call a snow day, but the total number of snow (or better said: inclement weather) days is entirely dependent on the weather conditions, such as snow, ice, flooding, loss of electricity, and so forth, which might cause schools to close,” said PPS Superintendent Mike LaSusa in an email. “Schools must hold 180 days of school by June 30, and a district must hold school late into June or on weekends to meet this deadline.”
State law says a school day counts only if students are physically in the school building. Online instruction, a Zoom session, or even virtual check-ins don’t count toward the state’s required 180 days of school. The exception was during the pandemic, because the law allows that if schools are closed for more than three consecutive days because of a state of emergency or a public health crisis, then school districts can call for remote learning.
Over the years, several state lawmakers have introduced bills that would allow virtual instruction in case of weather closings, including in the 2024-25 legislative session, one sponsored by New Jersey Assembly members Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, D-Mercer and Hunterdon; Linda S. Carter, D-Union and Somerset; and Joe Danielson, D-Somerset. The bill, according to its synopsis, “permits certain use of virtual or remote instruction by schools during inclement weather to meet minimum 180-day school year requirement.” A note states it is pre-filed for introduction in the 2026 session.
The New Jersey Administrative Code states that “a day in session shall be a day on which the school is scheduled to provide instruction and students are under the guidance and direction of a teacher(s) engaged in the teaching process. A day on which school is closed for reasons such as holidays and teachers’ institutes, or inclement weather not under conditions set forth … shall not be considered a day in session.”
It goes on to say that “a day in session shall consist of not less than four hours, exclusive of recess and lunch periods, except that one continuous session of two and one-half hours may be considered a full day in kindergarten.”
But winter is not over, and there may be more snow coming. Just in case, the PPS school calendar designates two more days, May 22 and May 26, that will become full days for students and staff if needed. Three days are built into the calendar (including February 13), but more days will be designated if needed.