It’s been a brutal winter in south-central Indiana, with snowstorms, below zero temperatures and of course, the polar vortex. This severe winter weather has meant delays and closings for schools, and if you think it’s been more than usual, you’re right. Since the fall of 2009, the average number of total delays and closings in the area is 125. So far this year, we’ve had 381, not including this morning.

Today on Noon Edition we’re discussing how all of these delays and closings are affecting students and teachers as they prepare for end of year testing and staying on track with curriculum.

Thursday the State Board of Education extended the window that schools can administer the ISTEP exams in March because of lost instructional days.

Guests include Jason Bletzinger, the assistant superintendent for Richland Bean Blossom Schools, Jeff Deckard, the Transportation Manager for Brown County Schools, Matthew Hoagland, an AP History Teacher at Bloomington South High school, and Josh Goodman, an assistant Professor of Public Policy at Harvard who recently authored a study that looked at how snow days affect long term learning.