Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has ordered K-12 schools in the state to close for the rest of the school year as the state continued to escalate its response to the coronavirus.
The Kansas City Star reports that Kelly and top education officials vowed to continue the task of educating the state’s children, though they acknowledged they’re now in a situation without precedent.
A task force of education experts is developing a plan for the months ahead, and will present their recommendations Wednesday, the governor said.
“The reality of this pandemic is that it cannot be controlled statewide if school buildings return to normal operations or if they respond inconsistently within our local communities,” Kelly said. “Unprecedented circumstances threaten the safety of our students and the professionals who work with them every day.”
Kelly’s order appeared to go beyond the school closures announced by most states so far.
The majority of states have closed schools until the end of March or early April. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has ordered schools closed for six weeks, while New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has ordered schools shuttered indefinitely.
But as of Tuesday afternoon, Kelly appeared to be the only governor to order closure through the remainder of the school year.
Education Commissioner Randy Watson says the task force is working to produce lesson plans and other guidance for schools “on how we may have some semblance of learning going on in these times.”
In addition to instruction, the task force is working to find solutions related to meals and child care, with an emphasis on the children of emergency workers.
Watson said the Kansas State Department of Education has obtained permission to allow districts to continue offering breakfast and lunch to any community that applies for a waiver.
Districts across the state moved swiftly following Kelly’s announcement to reach parents and students. In an email to parents, Wichita Public Schools -- the state’s largest with 50,000 students -- said it “is important for you to understand that while school will look different, learning will continue in some form.”
Critical questions – such as how high school seniors would graduate and what services would be available to at-risk students – didn’t appear to have immediate answers. Watson said “our first intention” is to ensure students graduate on time.
“One of the major concerns are students of poverty, students of disability, students of color that do not have equal access” to all kinds of learning environments outside school, Watson said.
