![]() Shortcutting those safety processes is not in the best interest of our students, staff, or communities," the union said. Local unions are actively bargaining with districts to ensure the return to buildings is as safe as possible. "Some districts are not yet prepared to safely welcome students back to buildings. ![]() "The governor’s announcement assumes that districts have the ability to provide safe teaching and learning," WEA said in a written statement. The state's largest teachers union, Washington Education Association, challenged the wisdom of the governor's action. "We know that it can work," Inslee said, because it is in place all over the state, in districts large and small, urban and rural. That hybrid model is what the governor said is the minimum for districts starting to reopen. Many are offering a hybrid model of both remote and in-person instruction, with only half of each grade in buildings at a time, often two days a week, in order to keep class sizes small and students at desks six feet apart from each other. Statewide, 85 percent of districts have reopened at least part-time to some students, although in some districts only younger children and special education students are learning in-person. In Seattle, where only around 150 students are currently being served in-person, "They are going to have to pick up the pace, there's no question about that," Inslee said. Inslee is the latest governor to demand that public schools reopen at least part time - in recent days, the governors of Oregon and Arizona signed executive orders requiring that districts invite students back.Īlthough Inslee had long held that he did not have the authority to order schools to reopen, and that each district school board had to make its own reopening decision, spokesperson Tara Lee said the yearlong school closure for many students has created “a new crisis” that the governor can address through this emergency proclamation. Shortly thereafter, the governor closed the rest of the state's public and private schools. The announcement comes one year to the day after Seattle Public Schools - the state’s largest district - closed due to the coronavirus. "In the recent days there is now, unfortunately, undeniably, a mental healthcare crisis in our state regarding our youth." “I have reviewed the medical evidence regarding the condition of our students, both from a Covid transmission standpoint and from a mental health standpoint," Inslee said. Remote instruction would be offered the rest of the time, as well as offered full-time for students whose families prefer to remain at home.Īlthough remote education has worked well for some students, many others are suffering, he said. The proclamation will mandate that by April 19, districts must offer K-12 students at least 30 percent of their instructional time in-person, including at least two partial days on-campus. "After one year of closure of our schools, the time has come for every child in the state of Washington to have access to on-site instruction," the governor said at a news conference.
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