Will Thursday Be A Snow Day For Massachusetts Schools? Read The State's Guidance

BOSTON (CBS) -- In a normal year, Thursday's nor'easter would almost certainly mean a day off for most K-12 students across Massachusetts. But this year has been anything but normal due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the longstanding tradition of missing a day of school due to a snowstorm may be over for some.

All schools in the state are required to have a remote learning plan in place this year, and many have had to use it because of the recent surge in coronavirus cases.

School Closings: Check The List

But will schools require students to work from home instead of sledding and building snowmen on Thursday? According to guidance released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in October, that decision will be made at the local level.

"The Commissioner has determined that for this school year only (2020-2021), if there are days when schools must close because of inclement weather or other emergency, districts may choose whether to treat those days as "snow days" to be made up later or provide all students with remote learning on those days in a manner that is consistent with the regulatory requirements," the department stated. "This decision will be made at the local level."

Boston Public School buildings will be closed Thursday, but all students will attend classes online with an early dismissal from remote learning.

Stay with WBZ-TV, CBSN Boston and CBSBoston.com for the latest information on the storm and school closings.