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There had been concerns given the Department of Education’s hard-and-fast rule requiring 180 days of classroom instruction by June 30 of a school year. The new advisory allows for some flexibility if a closure is ordered in writing by the state health department or a local health officer.
If guidelines and other state policies are followed, affected districts will receive daily credit to comply with the instructional mandate.
Options include using online education or contracting help from another district.
"We’ve never had to apply the 180 day rule to something of this potential magnitude. So it is guidance, it is much needed and I think it will be a great help to districts," said Elisabeth Ginsburg, who runs the Garden State Coalition of Schools, a private organization representing some 100 districts across New Jersey.
Teachers represented by the New Jersey Education Association are concerned, though, about ensuring students can use the online option in poorer districts.
"We need to keep student access and student equity in mind and make sure that children aren’t being denied their access to education based on lack of resources at home," NJEA spokesman Steve Baker said.
He added that discussions with the state that started weeks ago leave the union convinced the state is trying its best to deal with a very uncertain situation.
But all sides agree on one thing: The time to plan is now before a district is forced by circumstances to act.