Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Plattsburgh) announced that legislation he authored to ensure schools continue to receive state aid after they are forced to close due to state or local emergencies has been signed into law (Ch. 605 of 2019).

“Schools shouldn’t be penalized when they’re forced to shut down because officials declare an emergency,” Jones said. “North Country residents are all too familiar with disruptive and dangerous weather conditions, from snow and ice covering our roads to high winds snapping trees and knocking down power lines. I’m thankful that this bill was signed into law, which ensures that weather and other emergencies won't impact their state aid.”

In recent years, a number of school districts fell below the instructional time requirements due to extreme weather events and state emergencies, including in North Country communities, Jones noted.[1]

The new law allows districts to count any day toward the state’s 180-day requirement for a school year that had been previously scheduled but had to close schools due to a formal declaration of a state or local state of emergency. Under previous law, school districts were in danger of losing a portion of their state aid if these closures brought them below the mandated days of instruction.

Following the governor’s state of emergency declaration for a Nor’easter in March 2017, the New York State Education Department formed a 180-Day Advisory Committee to recommend proposed changes to the existing instructional requirement.[2] While the Board of Regents has since adopted regulatory changes, Jones’ law addresses the committee’s recommended statutory revisions.

[1] adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2019/02/saranac-lake-schools-out-of-snow-days

[2] timesunion.com/news/article/New-York-considers-a-more-flexible-school-year-12439889.php