As school closures continue into a second week after Winter Storm Fern, the Mississippi House has voted to extend the amount of time districts can close without making days up. 

The storm ravaged the state in late January, leaving downed power lines, icy roads and fallen trees in its wake. Schools across the Southeast are still dealing with closures, including Oxford School District and Holly Springs School District in Mississippi. 

House Education Committee Chairman Rob Roberson, a Republican from Starkville, was successful in amending an unrelated bill on the floor in its entirety on Thursday, replacing it with language that gives districts in north Mississippi impacted by the ice storm up to 15 canceled school days due to emergencies.

State law currently only allows 10 missed days for weather emergencies and natural disasters. Any more, and schools have to add extra time to their academic year. 

“I don’t think we have much of a choice,” he said. “Some of these school districts still don’t have electricity … frankly, a lot of these teachers don’t want to have to come back in and make these days up in the summer.”

The law, which passed unanimously, would only apply this year. Next school year, they would return to 10 allotted weather emergency days. 

Absenteeism from severe weather can impact learning, according to the Northwest Evaluation Association. The organization says that missing a day of school from a weather-related closure is almost equal to four days of lost learning time.

The bill now heads to the Senate.