Mississippi News Mississippi students who are not for-profit will not be returning to school this semester. Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Tuesday that schools would be closed for the remainder of the year in order to stop the spread of coronavirus. Reeves stated that he had intended to reopen schools, but that the data didn’t support it. Reeves’ decision is similar to other states that have closed schools for the remainder of the semester, or until further notice in certain cases. Contiguous Mississippi states have made it clear that they will keep schools closed for the rest of the year. In March, Arkansas and Alabama announced that schools would be closed for the remainder of the semester. Meanwhile, Louisiana and Tennessee both shut down schools until April. Reeves stated that districts could turn to early fall or summer school if needed, but it would not be necessary. Reeves stated, “We’re going work with our local superintendents.” It will depend on how much distance learning occurred. Some districts may feel more comfortable being near the majority of their students than others. It is an option, not a mandate. It’s something that we should be thinking about.” Mississippi is currently under shelter in place orders, with the number of confirmed cases continuing to rise. Mississippi currently has 3,087 confirmed cases, and 111 deaths. The closures are not surprising to most people. Schools were closed by April 17th, and the state board took action in March to cancel state end-of-year testing. The coronavirus disruptions and school closings will not prevent students from graduating and being promoted to the next grade. However, State Superintendent Carey Wright recently said that the 2019-20 school year was a “hold harmless” year. Some educators wonder why this decision wasn’t made sooner. Reeves declared on April 8 that he would decide by April 14 what to do about schools. Erica Jones, president of Mississippi Association of Educators, said that educators are concerned about the announcement. “Why aren’t we addressing this sooner? Why isn’t there leadership about when schools will return? Arkansas made their decision. Georgia made theirs.” “Here, in our state, teachers are literally having panic attacks due to the fact that we have a governor who has yet to make a decision about schools. Some educators are already preparing lessons for the classroom, with a return date of April 20. Others are asking themselves, “Should I be planning some kind of distance learning?” While there won’t be any state testing, seniors will still need to comply with their school district’s requirements. They also need to earn 24 Carnegie units. These are used to calculate the hours of contact time or class time over the course of a high-school year. The current school year will decide how credits are awarded. However, the state board has given local school boards the power to modify their graduation policies provided they comply with state standards. Each school district can decide how schools will provide instruction during closures. Each school district can decide how schools will provide instruction during closures. Last month, the Mississippi Department of Education issued guidance that included resources for use during the pandemic.