Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran has issued an executive order requiring all of Florida's public K-12 schools to reopen in August.
As part of the executive order issued Monday, school districts and charter school governing boards must open brick and mortar schools at least five days a week for all students in August.
"Upon reopening in August, all school boards and charter school governing boards must open brick and mortar schools at least five days per week for all students, subject to advice and orders of the Florida Department of Health, local departments of health, Executive Order 20-149 and subsequent executive orders," the order reads.
School districts must also provide "the full array of services that are required by law so that families who wish to educate their children in a brick and mortar school have the opportunity to do so."
That includes in-person instruction, specialized instruction and services for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), English-language learners as well as live synchronous or asynchronous instruction.
If the district chooses to utilize live synchronous or asynchronous instruction, it must have the same curriculum as in-person instruction and offer students the ability to interact with teachers and peers.
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Districts are also required to monitor the progress of all students and report that data back to the education department regularly. The order also provides some extra support for remote-learning students.
"Students who are receiving instruction through innovative teaching methods must be provided additional support and the opportunity to transition to another teaching method if they fail to make adequate progress," the order reads.
If the district chooses to offer "innovative teaching methods," they will be required to submit a reopening plan to the Florida Department of Education that satisfies the requirements laid out in the order. Districts that want to open "as usual" will not be required to submit a plan.
Parents will still have the ability to choose if the district makes those options available. However, the order makes it so school campuses will open regardless of what choices parents make.
The order is temporary and only applies to the upcoming fall semester.
You can look at the full executive order from the Department of Education below.
