Gov. Cooper announces schools will remain closed until end of school year

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — North Carolina public school students will not return to their classrooms for the remainder of the school year.

“Today we’ve had to make another tough choice, together with Superintendent Mark Johnson and State Board Chair Chair Eric Davis, we’ve decided to continue remote learning for the rest of the school year for our k-12 public schools,” Gov. Roy Cooper announced during a Friday afternoon news conference.

Gov. Cooper said the decision wasn’t made lightly, but it is important to protect the health and safety of students and staff.

Cooper said the State Board is efforting a plan for an intensive learning program for students who require it.

AT&T will be providing 100 school bus hot spots and Duke Energy will be providing 80. No word yet on where or how they will be used.

“Today’s executive order reinforces our four initial responses; health and safety of students and staff, ensuring our most vulnerable families have access to nutritious meals, maintaining student and teacher relationship, and keeping students engaged through remote learning,” said State School Board Chair Eric Davis.

Superintendent Mark Johnson said the next school year will not be business as usual. There will be new measures in place to protect students next year.

The opening of year-round schools this summer and traditional schools in the fall, and the availability of summer camps, are going to depend on meeting health guidelines.

Johnson said more information will soon be released to parents and teachers regarding grading for the school year.

Johnson addressed how students will be graded for the remainder of the school year based on grade level:

Elementary students – grades K-5:

• Grades K-5 students will not receive a final grade.
• Teachers will provide year-end written feedback for students/families based on their learning this school year.
• School district leaders will decide the format for this feedback.
• Academic and social/emotional feedback will be used to help transition students into the new school year.

Middle school students – grades 6-8:

• Grades 6-8 students will receive a final course grade of PC19 (Pass) or WC19 (Withdraw).
• Teachers will provide year-end written feedback for students based on their learning this school year.
• School district leaders will decide the format for this feedback.
• Academic and social/emotional feedback will be used to help transition students into the 2020-2021 school year.
• WC19 does not mean the student failed the course and does not imply grade retention for middle school
  students. WC19 means there is a lack of evidence the student mastered the course standards.
• Middle school students enrolled in high school courses will follow grading options listed below: Students will
  receive course credit but, as in existing policy, the grade will not be counted in the GPA calculation.

High school students – grades 9-11:

• Students in grades 9-11 and non-graduating seniors will choose how each final course grade will appear on their transcript for their currently enrolled courses, year-long and semester courses. If students cannot be reached to make a choice, they will be permitted to do so after school buildings re-open.

You can find a full list of grading criteria here.

WWAY has reached out to all five local school districts about plans for graduation, but as of right now, none of them have released officials plans. We will keep you updated as we get that information.