REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands Unified School District will not need to make up school days lost to closures during the Line Fire earlier this year, Deputy Superintendent Jason Hill announced at the school board meeting Tuesday night.
The district closed schools from Sept. 9 to 13 due to evacuation orders in parts of the district and poor air quality across the region.
“Any time we have to close schools, it takes a small hit against our overall budgets because we lose ADA,” Hill said, referring to average daily attendance funding.
Hill explained that the district filed a J13 waiver with the state, a process that allows schools to avoid making up lost instructional days due to emergencies. “There was a little bit of worry that if we closed for the fires, we would have to make those days up at the end of the year,” he said.
The waiver ensures the district's compliance with the state’s 180-day instructional requirement without adding extra days to the academic calendar. Hill emphasized that the decision spares students and staff from potentially losing part of their spring break.
“So that is a nice thing for everybody—we don’t have to give up part of our spring break with our kids,” he said.
The Line Fire burned 43,978 acres north of Highland. It was one of several wildfires this year that highlighted the challenges districts face in balancing safety and state educational mandates.
