Students in both Idaho and Washington will likely continue with online-only instruction for the rest of the 2019-20 school year, after announcements in both states today.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced today that K-12 public and private schools in the state will remained closed for the rest of the semester, in light of efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Idaho State Board of Education extended the soft closure of schools through the rest of the school year, but provided flexibility for school districts to reopen sooner if they get approval from local health officials. The unanimous decision provides some local control for school districts, board members said.
To reopen before the end of the calendar year, school districts would need to satisfy to-be-determined criteria that will be approved by the state board next week.
A soft closure means in-person classes cannot be held, but school districts are required to educate students through remote learning and continue to provide essential services, like meals.Per Inslee’s announcement, Washington schools are prohibited from providing traditional, in-person instruction. Online instruction will continue to be provided, as will meal programs.
Inslee addressed parents and teachers in a tweet after his announcement, saying to families: “I know that it’ll be difficult to find a new normal at home. But we must put the health and safety of our community first. And the past three weeks have shown that we are up to the challenge.”