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Lawmaker from Cadillac wants to allow more snow days

UPDATED 1:03PM

A lawmaker from Cadillac says most schools in his district have already exceeded the number of allowed weather cancelations this year.

State Representative Phil Potvin says Michigan school districts should be allowed to cancel days more often.

“So in looking ahead, trying to be prepared, I’ve looked at moving that number that we allow from six up to nine,” he says.

Schools must make up any additional canceled days at the end of the school year. Otherwise, they risk losing some state funding.

Potvin also wants to give districts the option to extend the length of school days to make up that time instead of adding full days. He says adding full days costs rural districts a lot of money in travel expenses.

“The Cadillac community where I live, we’re talking thousands of dollars a day in transportation costs," he says. "And you’ve already got people in place – let’s extend that school day a little bit.”

State Superintendent Mike Flanagan worries that plan would result in less quality instruction time for students.