KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After becoming the first state to close school buildings for the remainder of the academic year due to COVID-19, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said she hopes they will be able to reopen in August.
Kelly said it’s possible the state will implement some mitigation processes when schools do reopen.
The governor praised districts for the work they’ve done thus far to transition to online learning.
“I give a lot of credit to our school districts, teachers or administrators, for having put together in a relatively short period of time, a completely new way to provide education services to our kids,” Kelly said. “Has it been perfect? No, it has not. Is it still tough for parents who are home, or with their kids, trying to facilitate this learning? Absolutely.”
Kelly said the state’s early move to close school buildings helped districts get a jump start on providing the necessary resources, which include nutrition services and mental health services in addition to e-learning.
With most districts scheduled to conclude classes in mid-May, Kelly said she knows many Kansas parents rely on camps in the summertime for additional childcare.
She said her office is working with public and private sectors to ensure such programs, as best they can, be back in place.
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