North Dakota lawmakers considering dumping 'snow days'

The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction is putting the final touches on bill drafts for next year's legislative session.

The one it's working on with two Jamestown legislators could get rid of the traditional snow day.

State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler says the two are working on a bill to create virtual learning so school districts won't have to use storm days.

Baesler says rural schools being spread out makes traveling more dangerous. She adds there needs to be a set level of participation from students and teachers to make the day count.

“If that school district could meet those requirements and provide the evidence that teachers were engaged in teaching and students were involved in learning in a different delivery method, they wouldn't need to use a storm day for that,” said Baesler.

This isn't unprecedented; a school district in South Carolina had a similar bill pass through earlier this year.