Avoid shortening the school year

This from the Herald-Leader:

The natural disaster that has left hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians stranded in the cold and dark, often without water, for more than a week is a disaster of another kind for kids.

Some districts have already missed weeks of school because of inclement weather and impassable roads. It's impossible to say when some schools will reopen, especially those without electricity.

As policy-makers look to help, the priority should be on providing as many hours of high-quality teaching as possible.Kentucky already requires too little school: 177 days compared with the national average of 180.

Kids won't learn when they're not being taught. And many kids are safer and better fed when they're in school.Waiving days of instruction should be a last-ditch option...