Schools identify Hurricane Irma makeup days

Palm Beach and Broward County students need to check off new attendance days on their school calendars.

On Tuesday, the school districts proposed makeup days for Hurricane Irma: three in Palm Beach and two in Broward.

In Palm Beach, Superintendent Robert Avossa has proposed turning three professional development days for teachers Oct. 16, Nov. 3 and Jan. 8 — into full days of classes for students.

Broward wants to change two early-release days — Oct. 19 and Dec. 22 — into full instructional days.

Both proposals are part of a plan to make up seven days schools were closed before Irma’s arrival earlier this month. The proposals still need to be approved by their respective school boards.

Miami-Dade schools have not yet announced makeup days.

The state’s education commissioner granted Florida school districts a two-day reprieve last week from the time they need to make up. The Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade school districts closed for seven days before Irma.

The Palm Beach school calendar, approved by the Classroom Teachers Association, had five professional development days, designed for teachers to augment their classroom skills. Still, CTA President Justin Katz said Tuesday he expects teachers will not protest the new plan.

“It’s preferable to just tacking days on at the end of the year,” Katz said. “By then, all the testing has been done. Most teachers prefer to be teaching. They can do much of their professional development on their own time or take online courses.”

Staff writer Caitlin McGlade contributed to this report.