Gov. Andrew Cuomo mandates all schools in New York state to be closed for at least two weeks, waiving the 180 day requirement for instruction this year.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order on Monday directing all schools in New York to close by Wednesday, March 18 for at least two weeks.
Cuomo said this action will ensure consistency and uniformity across the state in instructional time for this “extraordinary” school year. Eighty-six percent of districts had already closed before the statewide mandate, including New York City schools. This executive order closes the other 14 percent of districts that had remained open, and provides uniform regulations and re-opening dates.
The state requires that school districts provide at least 180 days of instruction each year, but that requirement will be waived for districts following the governor’s emergency regulations. On or before April 1, the governor and education officials will reassess whether to extend the school closures.
“The single most effective way to slow the spread of this virus is to reduce close contacts, and that includes in our schools,” Cuomo said. “I am directing the closure of all schools throughout the state for two weeks as we continue working aggressively to ramp up testing, isolate those who are sick and mitigate the impacts of this virus.”
Every district in the state is required to submit plans for alternate instruction, including online learning, to the State Education Department, which has the power to amend them and make recommendations.
Additionally, schools must submit a daycare and meal plan for the children of health care workers and first responders so that doctors, nurses, EMTs, police and others can keep hospitals and emergency response services functioning.
The statewide closures follow New York City, Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County public schools that closed Monday morning in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Closing the schools is a good idea but you have to anticipate and correct any unintended consequences – we have to ensure children who rely on free school meals continue to get them and that there’s adequate child care, especially for health care workers and first responders who are parents of young children. We will close these schools but it needs to be done with these contingencies in mind so that children are not harmed and our hospitals aren’t understaffed – otherwise we cut off our nose to spite our face.”
To help develop child care and meal plans for the New York City metro area and surrounding counties, Cuomo said he consulted with the union 1199SEIU, the New York State Nurses Association, the Greater New York Hospitals Association, the United Federation of Teachers, and SUNY Empire State College.
“Closing the schools is a good idea, but you have to anticipate and correct any unintended consequences,” Cuomo said. “We have to ensure children who rely on free school meals continue to get them and that there’s adequate child care, especially for health care workers and first responders who are parents of young children.
“[School closures] need to be done with these contingencies in mind so that children are not harmed and our hospitals aren’t understaffed — otherwise we cut off our nose to spite our face.”
