CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Kanawha County school board members agreed Monday to do away with two-hour delays and dismissals in an effort to save an estimated $700,000 each year.

Superintendent Ron Duerring said delays and early dismissals derail the county’s attempts to meet the 180 instructional days required of all school systems. He also said they disrupt teacher schedules and payroll.

“One two-hour delay costs us $693,000,” Duerring said. “We can’t afford that.”

Board members had difficulty understanding the issue, which is complicated by requirements in the Legislature’s 2013 education reform bill, but Duerring said the problem lies mainly in calling for a two-hour delays and later having to cancel school because of adverse weather.

In these instances, teachers and other employees, who are required to report to school at their regularly designated time, must still be paid for a full day even though it will be made up later in the year.

Instead of paying teachers double and throwing schedules off, Duerring said the better decision would be to either cancel school or just have students come at a normal time…