Washington, D.C. (July 9, 2020) –– The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) Executive Director Carissa Moffat Miller today released a statement on the work underway in states to safely reopen schools for our students, teachers, staff and families.
“State chiefs are working tirelessly every day, alongside educators and health experts, toward one common goal: safely getting kids back to school. This has been our goal since March, when we had to close school buildings to protect our students, teachers and communities. While the situation continues to evolve, we remain committed to creating systems that will deliver education safely and effectively to every student in the next academic year,” Miller said.
“Now more than ever, we all understand that school buildings are more than places of learning. Schools are integral to meeting the academic, social, mental health and nutritional needs of children. For this reason, state education leaders are striving to reopen school buildings as safely as possible this fall, while at the same time planning for remote learning opportunities for those students and staff who may not return in person for whatever reason. Throughout community discussions and the planning process, we must recognize and be transparent with students and families that ‘school’ will look differently this year. Whether it is conducted in person, remotely, or a combination of both, it is most important that we deliver a quality education to all students and that we do it safely for everyone involved in our education system.
“The guidance and resources provided to date from Congress and federal agencies, including from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have informed states as they plan to reopen schools. We urge Congress and the Administration to fund additional emergency relief so we can continue our work with educators, parents, families and health experts at the state and local levels to make the best decisions possible for our students, teachers and communities.”
To learn more about CCSSO’s efforts to support states in reopening schools, please see the Restart and Recovery Framework.
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