The Maryland board of education unanimously approved a plan Tuesday afternoon that will allow school systems to request a waiver of up to five days for days missed because of snow.

Many districts have closed schools for about eight days because of snow storms in December and February, including two recent storms that dropped about 40 inches of snow in the region.

State law requires students to attend school for a minimum of 180 days.

The districts have to submit a plan for how they will make up the days they have lost and request a waiver for a specific number of days. School Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick must approve each district's plan.

The state also announced Tuesday that the Maryland School Assessments will be given starting the week of March 8, as originally planned.