K-12 students to stay out of school through April
Image via AP

empty classroom
Corcoran says they'll reevaluate again at the end of April.

K-12 students will likely stay out for at least another month because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, thanks to new guidance put out by the Department of Education. 

Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran says his new recommendation, which is not public yet, is based on the Sunday’s announcement by President Donald Trump that social distancing instructions issued by the federal government will continue through the month of April. Each individual school district makes the ultimate decision.

Corcoran says DOE will be sending out a press release with more information on the guidance Monday night.

As of Monday evening, Florida has 5,704 positive COVID-19 cases, with 5,489 of those Florida residents. There’s 715 people hospitalized and the death toll stands at 71.

Students are transitioning to distance learning and online classes after extended spring breaks earlier this month. Some families may be having an easier time transitioning than others. Some students lack broadband internet access at home. Other students who have special needs may need additional accommodations. 

Florida Virtual School says it will provide free digital courses to all schools through the end of the year to help them deal with disruptions due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. These courses are available to K-12 students and will be hosted through software applications like Blackboard or Canvas. 

Sarah Mueller

Sarah Mueller has extensive experience covering public policy. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2010. She began her career covering local government in Texas, Georgia and Colorado. She returned to school in 2016 to earn a master’s degree in Public Affairs Reporting. Since then, she’s worked in public radio covering state politics in Illinois, Florida and Delaware. If you'd like to contact her, send an email to [email protected].



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