Governor Roy Cooper announced North Carolina schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year while students continue with remote learning.
Schools have been shuttered since March 23 and were previously scheduled to reopen May 15. But as the state continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, Cooper and education officials decided to extend the closure through the end of the school year.
“We don’t make this decision lightly, but it’s important to protect the health and safety of our students and our school staff.,” Cooper said at a press conference Friday.
School systems have hustled to continue to providing lunches to families that depend on them and are in the process of launching remote hot spots for students without internet access so they participate in the online curriculum.
Cooper praised the state’s educators for finding creative ways to continue teaching remotely.
When schools reopen will depend on if the state is able to meet certain benchmarks in containing the spread of the virus. Superintendent Mark Johnson noted that school administrators are taking a proactive approach to planning for the fall semester.
“Already we know that even the next school year will not be business as usual,” Cooper said. “There will be new measures in place to protect health when school buildings open again next year.”
This is a developing story.
Contact Raleigh editor Leigh Tauss at ltauss@indyweek.com.
DEAR READERS, WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW MORE THAN EVER. Support independent local journalism by joining the INDY Press Club today. Your contributions will keep our fearless watchdog reporting and essential arts and culture coverage viable in the Triangle, coronavirus be damned.
