Lee Expands School Closures For Remainder Of Academic Year

Gov. Bill Lee is calling on schools to remain closed until the end of the academic year due to the threat of COVID-19.

Although it’s not a mandate, Lee says he doesn’t expect any school district to defy his recommendation.

“The school districts uniquely know their own communities and what their end of year school requirements are, but we feel confident that school districts will close all across the state.”

Lee says the state is working to ensure students will still receive some sort of education during the next few weeks.

“Classroom time has been lost, students have lost a significant amount of learning time and we are committed to continuing to provide resources that will keep our students engaged,” he says.

The legislature will be working to make recommendations about school openings in the fall and potential calendar changes.

The state anticipates that districts will face shortfalls and budget challenges during this time. Lee said he spoke with U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos earlier today about education funding sources for states. He expects to get information about the types and amounts of funding that Tennessee can expect very shortly.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education is creating a group tasked with finding ways to support students’ health and well-being while at home.