Educators call on state legislators for help dealing with COVID-19

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ/Press Release) – The courts have given state lawmakers to authority to set policy for schools. Governor Andy Beshear will call a special session soon to fight COVID-19. Among the issues to deal with, safely keeping students in the classroom.

With more school districts pausing in-person learning due to the surging virus, Wednesday, the Interim Committee on Education reviewed options to give schools more latitude in dealing with the pandemic.

“How can we look to manage this? I don’t think we’re ever going to truly be able to eradicate and eliminate but we can manage the threat that we’re currently under,” says Republican Senator Max Wise.

Wise says he does not want to mandate anything on schools, instead putting trust in local leadership to make the best decisions for their district. Jim Flynn, Executive Director for the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, says superintendents want what is best for their students and staff while keeping everyone safe, but focusing on staying in the classroom.

“We need some help in stabilizing that funding so that regardless of the attendance rate our districts can continue to provide in-person services to the students,” says Flynn.

While the list of issues from educators was long, the theme was the same — schools and school districts need flexibility and money and there can’t be a cookie-cutter approach.

“I think the one thing that we’ve learned is the one size fits all solution is usually not going to be the best path forward,” says Flynn.

Senate President Robert Stivers says legislators and educators should be looking at things one semester at a time, saying what works in the fall might not work in the spring.

“That’s why superintendents are so intent on, you know, having those tools in their toolbox and the flexibilities to make the decisions they need to make in conjunction with their school boards and their communities based on that local context, you know because it’s very different and very unique,” says Flynn.

The hearing came on a day when the state reported nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases and a dozen virus-related deaths.

Earlier this year, the Kentucky General Assembly passed HB 208, a bi-partisan measure that provided parameters for school districts as they transitioned back to in-person instruction. The bill was crafted with input from the Kentucky Department of Education, education groups, and parents.

Now, with the Delta variant mounting, legislators are developing a temporary plan to help districts navigate the surge. Superintendents are asking for more support and flexibility in adjusting as needed to ensure the health and safety of students, including more accommodating remote and hybrid learning options, funding mechanisms, and workforce solutions.

Rep. Regina Huff (Whitley), who co-chairs the committee, said, “The fundamental piece to this is acknowledging that school districts are capable of making the best decisions for their communities and that a ‘one size fits all’ approach does not work. Our main objective is to give superintendents options to maintain in-person instruction as much as possible.  It is overwhelmingly clear that distance learning is no match for the valuable experiences that students derive from an in-person education. We remain optimistic in finding solutions to ensure a quality education for the students of the Commonwealth as we navigate forward.”

Rep. Steve Riley (Barren), who was integral to crafting the COVID-relief legislation that allowed schools to use remote learning in the early days of the pandemic, added that the ultimate goal is to ensure students have every opportunity to learn in-person when possible.

“We know that students learn better in-person. Our schools are a primary support and provide access to food, occupational therapy, and behavioral health resources to many of our families,” Riley added. “Let’s give them the flexibility they need and ensure that we’re using it appropriately to keep children in school as much as possible.”

Legislators continue preparing for a potential special session regarding a slew of COVID-related issues. While only the Governor may call the legislature into session and set the agenda, only the legislature can draft and pass laws.

For more information, visit the Legislative Research Commission website or follow along at KET.org.