Schools decide on road conditions - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Schools decide on road conditions

By: Kylen Mills

kmills@cbs4qc.com

Any time we get winter weather local schools have to make a tough decision about sending kids to school.

Each school district has a different way to decide whether to have classes when it snows.

We spoke with the Bettendorf Superintendent who told us that they take a lot of factors into consideration.

"In some cases we're able to have schools when others don't, and that's a hard thing for people to understand. But the in town traffic, travel is a lot different that the rural, and rural in a large part can dictate what a school district does," said Bettendorf Superintendent Theron Schutte.

The superintendent also says school officials look for several different weather conditions that can affect driving, like blowing snow and ice.

He says the goal is to make sure all parents and students heading to school can get there safely.

Schutte tells us that school officials started checking the roads around 3:30 this morning, and will make a decision by 5:30am on whether to cancel or delay school.

The superintendent added that even if the district has school, it's every parents right to keep their kids home of they feel travel is unsafe.