Schools to remain closed for the remainder of academic year
Gov. Tom Wolf ordered Pennsylvania’s schools to remained closed through the remainder of the academic year.
Wolf said Thursday he made the decision in consultation with Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine and Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera.
The governor encouraged school districts to provide education to students, and noted that meals will continue to be made available to students during the closure.
“This was not an easy decision but closing schools until the end of the academic year is in the best interest of our students, school employees and families,” Wolf said.
The decision applies to brick and mortar and cyber charter schools, private and parochial schools, career and technical centers and intermediate units.
All Department of Education early learning program classrooms, including those for Pre-K Counts, Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) and Preschool Early Intervention, will also remain closed.
Rivera said re-opening schools will be contingent upon public health guidance and stay-at-home orders.
“While the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic and its mitigation efforts have created uncertainty in our schools and communities, today’s action to close schools for the remainder of the academic year provides school communities with predictability and understanding of the conditions under which they’ll be operating and serving students,” Rivera said. “As schools and communities adapt to the prolonged school closure, PDE will continue to work with our state, educational, and business and nonprofit partners to meet the needs of students.”
Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine will provide a live streaming update today at 2:30 p.m. The briefing can be accessed at any of the following addresses:
governor.pa.gov/live/
facebook.com/governorwolf/
facebook.com/pennsylvaniadepartmentofhealth/