Too many snow days leave rural Minn. schools struggling to prepare for assessment tests

Rural Minnesota schools have had so many snow days, and late starts due to snow, that some officials said they are worried students won't be prepared to take required assessment tests that judge schools on how well they perform, and require older students to pass the reading, writing and math portions to graduate, Tim Post reports for Minnesota Public Radio. Western Minnesota, where districts can cover hundreds of square miles, has been particularly hit hard by snow, which remains in the forecast in the state through the rest of the week.

Rural district superintendents said starting school before Labor Day would help give them an extra week or two to prepare for tests, Post reports. Minnesota law requires school to begin after Labor Day, although 30 districts have special waivers to begin early. "A bill in the K-12 education omnibus bill at the Capitol this session would allow schools to start before the end of the summer holiday. The issue has come up many times before but failed after opposition from the state's tourism industry." (Read more)