Gov. Jay Inslee today issued a proclamation outlining the state's plan to possibly re-open schools in the fall for the 2020-2021 school year. The plan follows the state's Safe Start phased approach to reopening on a county-by-county basis.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal addressed the media today to unveil the Reopening Washington Schools 2020 Planning Guide authorized under the proclamation.
Earlier this year, Inslee announced the statewide closure of all schools due to the developing COVID-19 pandemic. Those closures were later extended through the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
“Today we are setting a path for moving forward with school activities in the summer and school reopening in the fall," Inslee said. "We have been working closely with Superintendent Reykdal and his staff at OSPI, state Department of Health, the Department of Labor and Industries and a wide range of stakeholders across the state to ensure the health of all students and educators.
“We all want students back in educational settings, but we must continue to monitor health data carefully, and proceed with caution. This virus is unpredictable and has upended our regular ways of doing everything. Therefore, if COVID cases spike or spread, we may need to reassess this plan. We cannot guarantee that school will open in fall. But for now, this guidance provides a path that schools, educators and families need to plan for the coming months and the fall. Kids need to be learning but they also need to be safe and healthy.”
Read the full proclamation here.