Schools in 5 Baltimore County Zip Codes May Close Due to Heat

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Students and staff will no longer have to sweat through soaring temperatures in Baltimore County Public Schools.

The Baltimore County Board of Education approved a policy Tuesday night providing relief in a jurisdiction where many schools still lack air conditioning:

• When the heat index is forecast to reach 90 degrees, the superintendent is directed to close schools or institute early dismissal in these areas: 21222, 21234, 21093, 21133 or 21228. (If the heat index is to reach 90 degrees by 11 a.m. then the closure should take effect; if the heat index is to reach 90 degrees by 2 p.m., the early dismissal should take effect.) The heat index is according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• The superintendent should announce the early dismissal or closure by 8 p.m. the day before.
• Students may carry water bottles at all times.
• Principals may move students to other rooms like the library, auditorium or outdoor shaded area.
• The superintendent may cancel school-sponsored activities based on weather conditions.

A committee had been evaluating the issue of hot schools since September 2015.

Of Baltimore County's 173 schools, there are 34 that do not have air conditioning.

The new measure takes effect on Aug. 23, just ahead of the 2016–2017 academic year, which starts Aug. 24.

This is the school board's philosophy behind the policy: "The Board of Education of Baltimore County believes that every child deserves to be educated in a safe environment that is conducive to learning. The board accepts scientific evidence that children do not adapt to temperature extremes as effectively as adults and that high temperatures and humidity prevent optimal learning in schools that lack air conditioning. This notwithstanding, the board also believes extreme temperatures in our schools are not healthy for staff. Additionally, the board recognizes that severe, extreme or inclement weather conditions may require early school dismissal or closure."

Additional days have been built into the school calendar to allow for heat-related closures, according to the board.

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