Schools Scramble to Make Up for Lost Instructional Time After Winter Storms

Districts across 40 states impacted by January's snow and ice are finding creative ways to squeeze in extra school days.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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School districts in roughly 40 states are now balancing the need to make up lost instructional time during the remaining months of the school year alongside already scheduled events like state testing and high school graduations. Some districts are adding extra school days, extending the school day, or eating into spring break to make up for the missed days, while others have received state waivers or are allowed a certain number of weather-related closures that don't require make-up days.

Why it matters

The decisions about if and how to make up learning days due to weather are based on state law, local policies, how instructional time is counted, and if remote learning counts as a school day. This means make-up policies differ across the country, with some states prohibiting remote learning from counting toward instructional time. Losing instructional time can have significant impacts on student learning, with studies showing an average of 3.6 days of instructional loss for every day students miss school due to extreme weather events.

The details

Several school districts are taking steps to make up for lost instructional time, such as Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland adding an extra early release day and moving a student holiday to an instructional day. North Carolina's Wake County Public School System squeezed in a make-up day by removing President's Day as a day off, while Carter County Schools in Kentucky is adding 20 minutes to the school day and using spring break days. However, some districts like Memphis-Shelby County Schools in Tennessee were granted state waivers and don't need to make up days.

  • Montgomery County Public Schools added March 20 as an instructional day, previously a student holiday.
  • Wake County Public School System held school on President's Day, a previously scheduled day off.
  • Carter County Schools in Kentucky is adding 20 minutes to the school day from February 23 through the last day on May 29.
  • Carter County Schools in Kentucky is also using two spring break days as make-up days.

The players

Montgomery County Public Schools

A school district in Maryland that is adding extra instructional days to make up for weather-related closures.

Wake County Public School System

A school district in North Carolina that held school on President's Day to make up for missed instructional time.

Carter County Schools

A school district in Grayson, Kentucky that is adding extra time to the school day and using spring break days to make up for 23 missed instructional days this school year.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools

A school district in Tennessee that was granted a state waiver for 5 of the 10 school days missed due to the winter storm, so no make-up days are required.

NWEA

A research and assessment company that found the January winter storm impacted school systems in 40 states and caused thousands of districts to close school buildings.

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What’s next

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The takeaway

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