LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation on Monday that will provide relief to thousands of students affected by the historic ice storm that swept through northern Michigan in March.
The new law, House Bill 4345, allows school districts in counties that were part of the governor’s March state of emergency declaration to waive up to 15 additional days of instruction during the 2024-2025 school year. This exception addresses the difficulty many districts faced in meeting the state’s standard requirement of 1,058 hours and 180 days of student instruction.
Counties eligible for the waiver include Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle.
School officials have reported widespread damage and extended power outages that disrupted the academic calendar, making it impossible for many districts to fulfill the usual attendance requirements. The legislation is expected to ease the burden on these schools while providing some financial relief.
State officials emphasized that the bill will help save resources by preventing the need to keep schools open during the summer months, which would otherwise incur additional costs for teacher and staff salaries, building utilities, and other operating expenses.
The bill received strong bipartisan support, passing the Michigan House unanimously and the Senate with a 35-2 vote.
