Are Schools In West Michigan Getting Snow Days Forgiven?

Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer, has come and gone. For what felt like the first time this year, the weather was finally good enough to have a beach day without fear of an unexpected temperature drop. Memorial Day is also important for another reason: it marks the last holiday break before summer vacation begins.

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Schools are inching close to the finish line, but if you're wondering just how much further until vacation begins, well, that answer will likely be different for everyone. Many schools ran out of snow days early this year after an especially cold and snowy winter, and many school districts are trying to determine whether they need to add days or are still on schedule for the end of the year.

Some legislation has been passed for schools in Northern Michigan that had more snow days than others, but what about Lower Michigan? Let's assess.

Northern Michigan Snow Day Forgiveness

Last week, the Michigan Senate approved a bill that would excuse up to four snow days once Governor Gretchen Whitmer signs House Bill 5797. This bill primarily targeted schools in Northern Michigan, and any school that had a State of Emergency. Those include:

Mason County, Lake County, Osceola County, Clare County, Gladwin County, Arenac County, Manistee County, Wexford County, Missaukee County, Roscommon County, Ogemaw County, Iosco County, Benzie County, Grand Traverse County, Kalkaska County, Crawford County, Oscoda County, Alcona County, Leelanau County, Antrim County, Otsego County, Montmorency County, Alpena County, Charlevoix County, Emmet County, Cheboygan County, Presque Isle County, Gogebic County, Ontonogon County, Houghton County, Iron County, Baraga County, Marquette County, Dickinson County, Menominee County, Alger County, Delta County, Schoolcraft County, Luce County, Chippewa County, Mackinac County, Keweenaw County

All schools must complete at least 1,098 hours and 180 in-person learning days a year, which is why schools that exceed the 6-snow-day limit must begin exploring ways to make up missed time.

What Does This Mean For Lower Michigan?

West Michigan is notably absent from House Bill 5797, primarily because the bill focused on a March storm that closed schools for multiple days late in the season. So far, there have been no official announcements that school districts like Allendale and Coopersville, which exceeded their limits early in 2026, would have their snow days excused.

READ MORE: When Was the Last Time It Snowed in May in Grand Rapids

There is a waiver that districts can complete to increase their snow day counts to 9 days, and many schools are likely to apply for it. Ultimately, it is up to the school district to ensure that their learning hours are being met, and your school has likely already been in touch with you about a plan.

But at the state level, no announcements of excused snow day counts have been made as many schools enter their final weeks of class.