Missouri schools hope they’ve called off school for the last time because of snow and ice.  They now have to decide how many of those days they will make up.

The state education department will learn when school districts file reports at the end of the school year how many hundreds or thousands of days classes have been cancelled because of weather.  At least one district has called off 27 days of classes.

Department School Services Coordinator Roger Dorson says state law has some makeup requirements. Districts required to have six snow makeup days built into their calendar.  If they have more than six snow days, they have to make up half of the next eight days. 

Local school boards can decide if any days more than ten will be made up either with weekend classes or extending the school year schedule.

But Dorson says extending the school year very far can cause problems with summer school schedules, family vacations, and college work by faculty members looking for additional degrees or training. He says superintendents and boards have to weigh those competing factors.  

AUDIO: Dorson interview 8:43