Kentucky public schools have been closed since mid-March to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky’s public schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year, capping off an unprecedented academic year.
For now, students should continue their education at home through distance learning plans, Gov. Andy Beshear told superintendents, according to posts from districts on social media.
Beshear is expected to publicly announce the decision and share more details during his daily 5 p.m. press conference.
Kentucky’s announcement came hours after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said their schools would also remain closed for the academic year.
They join the majority of states — including Tennessee and Indiana — in shuttering its classrooms until next school year as the coronavirus continues to spread.
The elongated closure means teachers will not get to say goodbye to their students in person. Graduating seniors likely won’t get to experience end-of-year celebrations before heading off to the next stop.
But weeks of distance learning are taking a toll on educators and parents, many of whom are being asked to act in multiple roles as kitchens and living rooms become makeshift classrooms.
More than 600,000 Kentucky students have been out of school since mid-March, when Beshear first recommended closures. Those closures were then extended to April 20, and then again to May 1.
Like several other states, Kentucky had already canceled its standardized testing scheduled for May. Other tests typically held in May, including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, have been moved online or canceled.
Most kids have been following nontraditional instruction plans — the formal term for remote learning — since March. Kentucky’s largest district, Jefferson County Public Schools, started distance learning in April.
Source: Kentucky schools closed for remainder of school year, Beshear says
