This morning, Governor Reeves announced an executive order closing all public schools through April 17.
Immediately following the governor’s announcement, the Mississippi Board of Education approved the following:
- suspension of all state testing and accountability for the 2019-2020 school year
- request that the US Department of Education waive all federal assessments for the 2019-2020 school year
- waiver of the requirement that public schools meet for a minimum of 180 days (reduction in days related only to the coronavirus)
Gov. Reeves made it clear that school districts will not see any disruption in their payment of MAEP funds, and he assured teachers that they will be paid on time. Earlier this week, the Legislature passed HB 1647 authorizing school districts and local governments to grant all of their employees leave with pay.
State Board of Education Chair Dr. Jason Dean emphasized the importance of students continuing to learn, despite the closure of our school buildings. School administrators and teachers across the state are working diligently to ensure that all students, regardless of their access to technology, have the resources they need to continue learning. In the coming days, The Parents’ Campaign will be sharing information about the good work happening in our school communities and the ways parents can help their children avoid falling behind in their schoolwork.
We know that timely information is more important than ever during this period of uncertainty, and we are committed to keeping you in the loop about decisions that affect the children and teachers in our public schools. You can find the latest news on our web site and on our Facebook and Twitter pages. We promise to keep in touch by email, as well. Together, we’ve got this!
