Beshear wants KY schools closed for coronavirus until May, home learning continued

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday asked school superintendents to extend the ban on in-person learning and keep schools closed at least through May 1.

He also said that it’s a real possibility that students won’t return to in-person classes this school year, but he’s not ready to make that call yet.

Schools had been shut down through April 20, with all districts entering a non-traditional instruction program with students learning at home rather than in the classroom.

Beshear said his decision goes along with guidance from the White House that people should stay at home and limit contact with others through April 30.

“We know it’s going to be needed through at least this period,” Beshear said.

He said he would touch base with superintendents a week or two before May 1 to assess the situation.

Beshear said he was going to be monitoring New York City’s experience to see when it reached a peak in cases and started seeing a decline.

He said he would also have a lot more data from Kentucky in a few weeks.

“This is further sacrifice by our kids and our educators, but it is absolutely necessary,” Beshear said.

Beshear said he thought all school districts would extend the NTI program and continue to serve meals while schools were shut down, and he was encouraging that.

Kentucky Department of Education officials said in a release that Beshear told superintendents that as of Thursday, they should not plan for schools to be closed for the rest of the school year.

However, if Kentucky still hasn’t flattened the curve by May 1, he said he would strongly consider making that suggestion.

“I like to be transparent. It is a very real possibility,” Beshear said. “When we hit May 1, or before leading up to that, that may be my recommendation.”

The additional time will give Kentucky’s healthcare professionals a chance to watch how the virus is unfolding, he said.

Meanwhile, Beshear strongly encouraged any educator who can work from home to continue to do so.

The NTI learning activities can’t compare to an in-class experience, but they provide a little bit of structure in a time of uncertainty for kids, Beshear said.

Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk said he supported the closure through May 1 and would continue the NTI program as long as schools were closed.

“Although we knew this might happen, extending the closure of our schools is still disappointing for all of us,” Caulk said. “Like yours, my children miss their teachers and friends, and have questions that I cannot answer definitively. Providing comfort and reassurance is difficult given the many unknowns we face during this rapidly evolving situation. “

“We are especially sensitive to the importance of special milestone events for our students and we will do everything possible to continue these special traditions,” he said.

This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 3:00 PM.