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HOUSTON (AP) — Thousands of Houston students and teachers stayed home on Good Friday instead of reporting to class to make up for a school day canceled by bad weather.
Teachers in Houston ISD who did show up reported having as few as one student in their classrooms. District spokeswoman Sheleah Reed told the Houston Chronicle (http://bit.ly/1mlOtYY ) that officials didn't foresee the widespread absences.
A January winter storm forced the largest school district in Texas to cancel classes and designate Good Friday as a make-up day.
Schools receive about $35 a student for daily attendance. That means so many absences could normally cost districts millions of dollars in state funding.
But Good Friday is one of the few days that schools can preserve funding for students who cite religious reasons for missing class.
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Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.com
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