The Maryland State Board of Education voted unanimously today [Tuesday, March 25] to deny the waiver of student attendance requirements that was requested as a result of schools being closed for emergency weather conditions. This means that, per the earlier decision by the Montgomery County Board of Education, all schools and offices will be open on Monday, April 21, as a make-up day for instruction.

For Montgomery County, this brings to four days for the total number of make-up days added to the school calendar this year because of snow storms -- two days (June 19 and 20) inserted at the end of the school year, cancellation of a professional day (March 19), and now the opening of schools on April 21.

The selection of April 21 as a make-up day was the least disruptive option given its occurrence at the end of the scheduled spring break and the beginning of the academic week. The state board previously had given the state superintendent authority to waive the holiday designations for April 21 (Easter Monday) and two other state holidays: April 18 (Good Friday) and May 26 (Memorial Day). Other Maryland school districts are planning to be open on one or more of these days to make up lost instructional time.