COVID-19 Considerations for Reopening Schools Initial Guidance for Schools and Districts

(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) released a new guidance document May 15 about questions schools and districts should consider when they are making plans for how to restart school for the 2020-2021 school year.

The document – “COVID-19 Considerations for Reopening Schools, Initial Guidance for Schools and Districts” – leads school leaders through a variety of questions to consider about:

  • How they will ensure the health and safety of everybody in their buildings;
  • How they will maintain quality teaching and learning:
  • How they will support exceptional learners, including gifted and talented students and students in need of special education services; and
  • How they will continue school and district operations.

Many of the decisions on how to move forward in this challenging time will be decided by local boards of education and school-based decision-making councils.

“This initial guidance provides schools and districts a framework for how they will need to start the 2020-2021 school year,” said Interim Commissioner Kevin C. Brown. “We are first trying to ask the questions districts need to ask themselves when dealing with all of the complex issues that have arisen as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope districts, schools and communities will use these questions to help order their thoughts and think through the many issues that will be facing educators in the Commonwealth when school resumes.”

As the COVID-19 situation evolves and additional recommendations from the governor and the Department for Public Health are issued during the summer, the guidance documents produced by KDE will continue to be updated and amended as required to meet the needs of Kentucky’s schools and districts. More guidance and resources can be found on the KDE COVID-19 website.

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