For an entire straight week last winter, school was cancelled. On that Monday, CPS decided to cancel schools because of the frigid cold of the first couple hours of the working day. After that, a major snowstorm blew in, covering most streets well into Thursday morning. Schools were cancelled on Friday because of the cold morning, but after just a couple hours, conditions were safe for driving.
There was no need to waste two snow days just because of the few cold hours in the morning. In anticipation of the same event, CPS implemented a delayed start schedule this school year, which would start schools two hours later than usual to allow time for the weather to heat up.
This is a wonderful new addition to CPS winter weather policy. Children who have to wait for buses every day will be able to avoid the extreme cold on forayed start days and still get to school and learn.
Only time will tell how CPS will use this option, but as it stands now, it is an amazing idea that will benefit all who attend the school system in Columbia.

According to EducationNext.org, each additional inch of snow that fell in the winter of 2008 reduced the percentage of third, fifth, and eighth graders who passed their math tests by about a half of a percentage point because of snow days.
These days should not be used when the roads are a hazard, but if they are, CPS said it will be up to the parents to decide whether to bring their kids to school on delayed days or not.
This new policy is a good change. Rather than adding another snow day and exceeding the seven built in days, making schools go into the summer, this policy will allow schools to continue on days when only the first couple hours are unbearable for kids, especially bus riders.
Many districts in Missouri are following the trend by implementing late start days. As students in the next district begin to jump on the bandwagon, we are proud to be a pioneer in this new effort to save class time.
By The Rock staff