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Governor Roy Cooper announced today school districts will be given the option to bring Kindergarten — Grade 5 students back for full in-person instruction under school reopening Plan A, effective October 5th. Most school districts chose to begin the school year under Plan C, or virtual instruction, but many districts had begun transitioning into Plan B, which requires moderate social distancing. The Governor stated in a press release that Plan A will now be available to districts due to improvements in safety and prevention measures, as well as more promising COVID-19 trends and data.
Governor Roy Cooper announced Wednesday nearly $40 million in funding will be provided to expand internet connectivity options for students participating in remote learning. The new funding will be given to NC Student Connect, a new partnership formed across various areas of state government, such as the Department of Information Technology (DIT) and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), to close remote learning barriers for NC students.
The State Board of Education (SBE) held its monthly meeting in-person and remotely on September 2-3. The pages that follow summarize highlights from the meeting and the Board’s actions for this month.
This afternoon, state legislators gave final approval to House Bill 1105: Coronavirus Relief Act 3.0, a $1.1 billon relief package that spends approximately $900 million in federal funding left over from the $4 billion previously provided to the State by the federal CARES Act. House Bill 1105 invests $115.9 million in education projects statewide, with $50.9 million allocated specifically for K-12 coronavirus relief items. Based on feedback from members, NCASA worked with lawmakers to use some of these remaining funds for critical investments in areas such as internet connectivity and personal protective equipment (PPE).
