Photo by M.V. Jantzen.

Many parents around the D.C. region woke up to some disruptive news this morning — their kids weren’t going to school today. (The kids, of course, are pretty excited about it.) So what exactly happened overnight that made the city change its mind?

During a press conference this morning, Mayor Vince Gray, City Administrator Allen Lew and DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson explained that the decision to cancel classes today was made because “it just seemed prudent” after an initial assessment showed at least 13 schools with significant structural damage.

The 13 schools which suffered enough damage to have been “red-flagged” for closure regardless of system-wide operating status include Bancroft Elementary School, School Without Walls, Roosevelt High School, MacFarland Middle School, Langdon Education Campus, Burrville Elementary School, Eaton Elementary School, Cardozo High School, Lafayette Elementary School, Columbia Heights Education Campus, Ferebee-Hope Elementary School, Noyes Education Campus, Beers Elementary School. (Many of the city’s charter schools were also closed today.)

Columbia Heights Education Campus was singled out by the city’s officials, noting that it had suffered significant damage. City officials are expected to release the precise nature of the damage sustained at the campus this afternoon. Henderson said that two DCPS students were hurt during the earthquake yesterday, including one who was hit by a falling tile from the ceiling.

Most, if not all of the city’s public schools should reopen tomorrow, the Mayor said.