DETROIT – We’re roughly halfway through the 2025-26 school year, and many Metro Detroit school districts have already run out of snow days.

—> Will Metro Detroit schools be closed on Friday? How dangerous cold could affect decision

Schools typically cancel classes due to weather like snow or extreme cold, but closures have also happened because of flooding, tornadoes and even extreme heat in rare cases.

In Michigan, districts are allowed to miss up to six days for weather or other uncontrollable events without penalty.

Deciding whether to close schools is a complex process that can take hours. It involves phone calls between superintendents and officials, sometimes spanning multiple counties. For example, Northville Public Schools coordinates with officials in both Wayne and Oakland counties.

Districts can choose to stay open and avoid using a snow day, but this carries safety and financial risks.

If attendance drops below 75%, districts lose funding for those days — sometimes amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars — which can be difficult for many districts to absorb.

With half the school year complete, what options do Metro Detroit districts have if they’ve exhausted their snow days?

Typically, if the district goes beyond six days, they extend the school year by adding more days in June.

Less commonly, they can request state “forgiveness” for extra missed days. Michigan has occasionally forgiven additional days without cutting funding if the district only exceeded the limit by a day or two.

The state superintendent has the authority to approve up to three additional days if closures are made due to unusual or unforeseen situations.

Some districts have also built buffer days into their calendars by starting school before Labor Day or adding extra hours and days, preparing for more than six closures.

School closures are never taken lightly. Safety is the primary reason for closing schools, considering factors like new teen drivers, students walking to school or bus stops, and families who may lack adequate winter clothing.

—> You can track school closings in SE Michigan right here.

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