COVID-19 Considerations for Reopening Schools: Intermittent School Closures

By Sky Carroll
sky.carroll@education.ky.gov

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) released guidance on June 15 on considerations for schools in the case of intermittent closures during the 2020-2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The document, “COVID-19 Considerations for Reopening Schools: Intermittent School Closures,” encourages districts to plan for intermittent closures that could become necessary and provides elements for school readiness, including online instructional design and the use of school technology. It also provides several considerations for districts based on the length of a closure.

The document identifies three types of closures:

  • Short-term Closures (1-2 days)
  • Mid-term Closures (3-10 days)
  • Long-term Closures (11+ days)

For each type, the document provides guidelines on the use of non-traditional instruction (NTI), student submission of work and food services.

As the situation with the pandemic evolves, KDE is creating new guidance documents to meet the needs of Kentucky’s schools and districts. More guidance and resources can be found on KDE’s COVID-19 website.

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