ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Missouri Gov. Mike Parson says all Missouri public and charter schools will remain closed for the remainder of this academic year.
"This recommendation was made by working together with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and several school superintendents from across the state -- from both urban and rural districts," Parson stated in a Facebook post. "Schools should continue remote learning for their students until the end date previously set on their academic calendars."
We are ordering all Missouri public and charter schools to remain closed through the remainder of the academic year with the exceptions of nutrition and child care services that are outlined in our recent health order. pic.twitter.com/umYYkszu7l
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) April 9, 2020Parson says the state will work with local districts to have commencement ceremonies sometime this year.
Parson says districts should wrap up by the date they set before the year started and continue remote learning until then.
Parson, whose granddaughter is a graduating senior, understands how students must feel. He says they will work to make sure students who are graduating this year will be able to "walk down that aisle and receive that diploma at some point."
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Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven says there are still a lot of questions: What about summer school, what will reentry to school look like next year, and what about students who don't have reliable access to broadband at home?
They're still working to answer those.
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