CT Schools Closed For Rest Of Academic Year: Gov. Lamont

CONNECTICUT —Gov. Ned Lamont kind of scooped himself this morning. In a video tweet posted in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week Lamont alluded to schools remaining closed for the remainder of the year.

“Maybe there will be a nice senior graduation for some of the kids from high school. We’ll all be back late summer ready to go,” Lamont said in his video message. “We miss you so much. We appreciate the best teachers in the world, right here in Connecticut.”

After Lamont's video was posted, media outlets took notice and an hour later Lamont confirmed that he is ordering in-person classes at all K-12 public school facilities in Connecticut to remain canceled for the rest of the 2019-2020 academic year and continue providing distance learning during this period.

Schools will also be required to continue providing meals to children under the school lunch and breakfast programs for consumption at home, as they have been throughout this emergency, Lamont said.

The governor said he is consulting with state and local education officials regarding whether summer school programming should commence as scheduled. He anticipates having guidance on that matter toward the end of this month.

Lamont, State Department of Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, and Office of Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye will discuss these issues during the governor’s 4 p.m. news briefing this afternoon.

“I know how important it is for so many students and teachers to finish out the school year, and I was holding out hope – particularly for high school seniors – that we’d at least be able to complete the final few weeks, but given the current circumstances and to protect everyone’s safety, it has become clear that it’s just not possible,” Lamont said. “I want to thank the many educators across our state who have stepped up to provide remote learning during this time, as well as the many staff members who’ve been putting thousands of meals together for students each and every day.”

During the initial outbreak, Lamont signed an executive order directing in-person classes at all K-12 public school facilities to be canceled effective March 17. That order was initially set to expire on March 31 but then was extended twice, most recently to May 20.

Upon the cancellation, the Connecticut State Department of Education began working with every school district in the state to assess distance learning needs, officials said. A state team was formed to support districts that indicated having high or moderate needs in the area of distance learning. These teams have been in frequent communication with district leaders to offer and provide support and technical assistance, officials said.

“The difficult decision to cancel classes for the remainder of the year is based on the health and safety of our students, their families, and our Connecticut communities,” Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona said in a news release. “While technology and remote learning will never replace the experience of our students in their school community, we are committed to constantly improving access to high-quality materials and connectivity for our students. Districts are working hard to find creative ways to celebrate the success of our seniors, as well as students who are transitioning from fifth and eighth grade. With the Reopen Connecticut Education Team, we are committed to preparing re-opening plans for summer school, as well as fall classes. While we do this, we also thank our dedicated educators today for their service to their students’ academic and social emotional needs.”

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Lamont will soon sign an executive order regarding today’s announcement. It will be publicly noticed and published on the governor’s website shortly after he signs it.

Connecticut is one of the last states in the nation to announce its status for the rest of the school year; 45 states have announced closures or recommendations so far. New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have already announced schools will be closed for the rest of the academic year.