Donald A. Howard, superintendent of schools, decided late Monday to close the schools today.
Across the country, Mr. Cortines said he saw no choice but to close the schools.
Faced with a $50 million deficit in its $300 million budget, the district decided to close the schools.
"The superintendent has elected to close the schools for the day," she said during a phone interview.
"Last time, when we didn't close the schools, we had a 60percentt absentee rate," he said.
It may be that the options are either to change the standards, or to close the schools.
But de Blasio was surely right to remind them, "We only close the schools when it is absolutely necessary".
None of the parties are clear about how they will close the schools or hospitals we choose not to use.
The decision to close the schools is a careful political calculus in New York City, determined by the predicted amount of snow.
Mr. Klein made the final decision to close the schools on Tuesday in consultation with the mayor and other senior officials, said Ann Forte, a schools spokeswoman.
The government said it would take a year to close the schools, allowing about 10,000 students who are in their final year of studies to graduate.
