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Here’s what criteria Central Florida school districts use when deciding severe weather closures

Breakdown of district responses

Lockers in the hallway of a school. (Pixabay)

ORLANDO, Fla. – When severe weather strikes, Central Florida school districts base their decisions about closures on various criteria.

Severe weather can happen at any point during the year.

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Here’s what each district’s response is:

Lake County Schools

Those decisions are made based on recommendations from the county’s Emergency Operations Center.

Marion County Public Schools

While every situation is unique and independent, our decision Monday was made based primarily on estimated wind gusts and sustained speeds predicted for this afternoon.

School buses cannot operate safely in sustained winds above 34 mph.

Orange County Public Schools

As the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority, Orange County Public Schools works closely with the National Weather Service and local emergency management offices to monitor developments and determine appropriate actions. Depending on the movement of the storm, families will be updated if delayed dismissal procedures are necessary. We also encourage all students and staff to exercise caution and return home as soon as possible once departing their school or work location

Seminole County Public Schools

We do not run school buses if there will be 35 miles per hour sustained winds. This is the same guidance districts use during hurricane season.

Volusia County Public Schools

The “threshold” of not being able to operate buses and therefore cancel school is sustained winds of 35 mph or greater.

In determining whether other school activities could be canceled, district staff works closely with Volusia County Emergency Management and monitors updates from the National Weather Service. Staff assess the timing and severity of inclement weather and how it may impact school activities, dismissal, transportation, etc. at the different school levels depending on school start and end times, as well as the timing of after-school activities.

Certain programs that are more likely to be excluded from after-school cancellations are those that provide before or after-school care and supervision of students that parents depend upon to send their children to that are not optional clubs, activities or athletics. The primary program in VCS for this is Extended Day Enrichment Programs (EDEP).


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About the Author
Brenda Argueta headshot

Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.

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