March 31 will now be a full school day in Howard County

March 31 will now be a full school day for Howard County public school students, to make up for an excess of inclement weather days this year. The Howard County Board of Education unanimously approved the plan Feb. 27 to reach the 180-day calendar requirement this year.

Five inclement weather makeup days were included in the 2024-2025 school year calendar, but as of Feb. 12, the district cancelled school six times. The last day of school was originally scheduled for June 11; it was shifted to June 18, using all available makeup days.

If the school system were to add another day to the end of the school year, it would fall on Friday, June 20, following the state-mandated Juneteenth holiday, June 19.

Under the Code of Maryland Regulations, schools can request a waiver due to the impact on attendance if the last day of school falls on a Monday, Brian Bassett, HCPSS director of communication and engagement, said during Thursday’s school board meeting. Because scheduling the last day of school on the day after the holiday posed similar circumstances as holding it on a Monday, the district submitted a waiver request with the Maryland Department of Education, but the request was denied, Bassett said.

Holding the last day of school on June 20 would result in an extra cost of about $500,000 to the school system due to contract provisions for Educational Support Professionals that require employees be paid for a holiday if they must work the day before and after it. The Professional Work and Development Day scheduled for March 31 will be moved to April 14, which is the first day of spring break. Ten-month staff will telework and no meetings will be scheduled. The last day of the third marking period will shift to April 4 from March 28.

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