Two hurricane days forgiven for schools statewide

Damage to Lehigh Senior High School (Photo via School District of Lee County).

FORT MYERS, Fla. School districts that have lost weeks of instructional time to Hurricane Irma won’t have to make up two days of it.

Public school superintendents can take as many as two days off their 180-day academic calendar this year because of the storm, according to a letter Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart sent them Tuesday.

District can apply to waive more time, the letter says.

Schools in Collier and Lee counties remain closed until next week. Hendry and DeSoto counties start school again Wednesday, a week and a half after Irma made landfall.

It’s unclear how many days each district won’t be making up. A spokeswoman for Lee County schools said the district is still working with the state Department of Education to make a determination.

A copy of the letter is below:

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