Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered all public schools in Florida to remain closed through April 15, and scrap all state testing in hopes to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The closures will impact all grades K-12. In addition, grades for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year will not be calculated, and parents can choose whether or not they’d like to keep their kid back a year, said DeSantis Tuesday.
“All remaining testing for school readiness, voluntary pre-K and K-12 will be canceled for the school year,” said DeSantis. “Requirements for graduation and promotion and final course grades will be evaluated as though those assessments did not exist.”
On March 30, most school districts, including Tampa Bay schools, will begin distance learning through online school and paper assignments.
Secretary of Education Richard Corcoran said schools will reevaluate the situation after April 15.
In related news, all Florida colleges and universities have been told to finish their semesters online, and “be prepared to extend their educational calendars through June 30."
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