As the wind chill hit almost 40 degrees below zero again this year, many schools decided to close or have morning delays.

Private schools such as Benilde-St. Margaret’s (BSM) and Cathedral School in St. Cloud have turned to online learning when school is cancelled.

Students at Orono and in surrounding areas are wondering why their schools don’t close and have online school for the day.

There is a certain number of instructional hours students in public schools are required to attend. According to Minnesota 2020, kindergarteners need to be in school for 850 hours, first through sixth graders need 935 hours, and seventh through twelfth graders need 1,020 hours.

Because of these hour requirements, public schools cannot cancel school whenever there is a low temperature wind chill. Private schools in Minnesota do not have a required amount of instructional classroom time, therefore they cancel school (and do online schooling) more often.

Most public schools around Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs need to have either a -20 degree air temperature or a -40 degree wind chill to close school for the day.