'This Could Be The End Of Snow Days': Raimondo On Schools

PROVIDENCE, RI — The success of distance learning could mark the end of snow days in Rhode Island, Gov. Gina Raimondo said Thursday. While the governor said she hopes to have kids back in classrooms in the fall, a final decision has not yet been made.

"I want to open school. Kids deserve school. ... Is it possible? I think it is," Raimondo said.

It's unclear at this point what an in-person fall semester would look like in Rhode Island schools. The Department of Education is still working to finalize plans, but Raimondo said, and more details are expected next week.

While distance learning is not a long-term replacement for in-person learning, it has opened new opportunities for the future of schools, Raimondo said. Online education can be used along with in-person instruction in the future to supplement learning and avoid disruptions such as snow days, she said. When the pandemic forced the state to innovate, it unintentionally paved the way for a new way of learning, she said.