School Closings and Delays Today (February 17, 2026)

For Tuesday, February 17, 2026, school status across the USA is a mix of planned holiday observances, major labor strikes, and regional weather disruptions.

🏛️ Major City-Wide Status Updates

Nevada

• Carson City School District: All schools closed. Reason: Winter storm warning with heavy snow accumulation expected, creating unsafe travel conditions for students and staff. No student activities, after-school programs, athletics, transportation, nutrition services, or health services will operate. Families should monitor updates.

Oregon (Southern Oregon – snow/ice)

• Butte Falls Charter School: 2-hour delay.
• Prospect Charter School: Closed. Reason: Snow and icy road conditions. (Reported for Tuesday, Feb. 17.)

Texas (Panhandle – precautionary for potential power shutoffs)

• Dalhart ISD: No school for students (in-service/professional development for staff moved to Tuesday). Regular school resumes Friday, Feb. 20. Reason: Precautionary due to possible Xcel Energy Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) for wildfire risk; allows remote work if needed and avoids meal/logistics issues.
• River Road Independent School District: All schools closed. Reason: Possible Xcel Energy power shutoff and abundance of caution for student/staff/community safety amid high wildfire risk (high winds, low humidity, dry vegetation). Other Panhandle districts are monitoring but had not announced changes at the time of reports.

Michigan

• Atherton Community Schools (Flint area): All school buildings closed. Reason: Power outage.

Virginia

• Alleghany High School (Low Moor; affects AHS and JRTC students): Closed; virtual learning from home. Reason: Water line issue. Meals available for pickup at AHS 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Alleghany County Public Schools will update as needed.

❄️ Weather & Environment

• Minnesota & Northern Plains: Widespread Closures in rural districts due to an Arctic front bringing wind chills as low as -35°F.

• Western New York: Isolated Delays in districts south of Buffalo (e.g., Orchard Park, Hamburg) due to lake-effect snow accumulation.

• Texas (North/Central): Mostly recovered from “Winter Storm Fern,” but some rural districts have 2-hour delays due to lingering ice on shaded bridges.

🛠️ Infrastructure & Utility Failures

• Cleveland, OH: Multiple buildings in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District are currently under transition/merger plans; however, specific utility failures (water/power) have not triggered city-wide closures today.

• Oxford, CT: Potential for continued facility-specific delays at Quaker Farms School due to boiler/plumbing repairs following last week’s freeze.

✊ Labor & Safety

• San Francisco, CA (SFUSD): CLOSED/STRIKE. Approximately 6,000 teachers are on strike. All 120 schools are closed. Teachers are demanding a 9% raise and fully funded family healthcare.

• San Diego, CA: STRIKE ALERT. Educators are in a final “stalemate” over special education staffing; a walkout is currently authorized and pending for late February.

• Los Angeles, CA (LAUSD): SECURITY ALERT. While schools are open, union rallies are expected outside the District Headquarters today as the board votes on significant staff layoffs.

🏥 Health & Staffing

• Staffing Shortages: Reported in San Francisco and San Diego as a primary driver for the current labor actions.

• Northeast Regions: Scattered reports of “sick outs” or high absentee rates in smaller districts in Massachusetts and New Jersey following the winter recess.

🚨 Summary List for Feb 17, 2026

• SFUSD (CA): CLOSED — Teacher Strike.

• NYC Public Schools (NY): CLOSED — Lunar New Year / Midwinter Recess.

• Philadelphia (PA): CLOSED — Lunar New Year.

• Chicago (IL): CLOSED for Students — Staff Professional Development.

• Various (MN/ND): CLOSED — Extreme Cold/Wind Chill.