Indiana Cancels In-School Learning for Rest of Year
Former Indiana School Superintendent Jennifer McCormick announced she's running for governor.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndiana public school students will not return to class for the remainder of the academic year. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick announced Thursday that all kindergarten-12th grade schools in Indiana will conduct remote learning for the rest of the year.
McCormick says all school buildings must remain closed. Two weeks ago, the state ordered all schools to conduct remote learning through May 1 due to COVID-19.
The state superintendent also addressed the required number of school days students must attend.
McCormick says schools must continue to provide instruction via remote learning until they complete either 160 instructional days or at least 20 additional days of remote learning between the date of the executive order and the end of the school year.
“Our goal given this very difficult situation is to ensure that students have some type of continuous learning. It may not all be e-learning. But we’re we are hopeful that we can offer some type of continuous learning to all of our kids,” said McCormick.
All K-12 schools will need to submit a plan for review and approval by IDOE by April 17.
Governor Eric Holcomb previously announced all schools would receive received a 20-day waiver to reduce the number of required in-person or remote instruction days to 160.
As far as graduating seniors, McCormick says she has directed the Indiana State Board of Education to provide flexibility for school corporations for students who are to graduate in 2020.
“For seniors for the class of 2020, you will be required to have earned your credit credits and for any course that you are enrolled in will count toward that. So, if you have earned your credits up to semester seven and are enrolled in courses that will get you across that stage, you will be recognized as a 2020 graduate,” said McCormick.
The superintendent says the stipulations do not pertain to students in grades nine through 11, or a middle school student who is earning high school credits. Those students will need to continue to earn those credits in a traditional manner.
McCormick says she is leaving the decision on whether to hold commencement ceremonies to each school corporation.
With the state’s announcement, the Indiana High School Athletic Association announced the cancellation of all spring sports tournament series events for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
IHSAA said in a statement: “The Association understands the extreme seriousness of this pandemic and joins in support of current measures being implemented as well as future considerations. In unwavering support yet with extreme sadness, we must cancel our spring sports programming. We join all Hoosiers in anticipation of a triumphant homecoming back to our schools in the fall of 2020 complete with a full complement of IHSAA sports.”
Watch Governor Holcomb’s Thursday press briefing in the video below:
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick says closing schools is not ideal, but steps had to be taken.