CARSON CITY – Steps to prepare for the 2020-2021 school year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic are outlined in a new plan released today by the Nevada Department of Education. Path Forward Plan – Responding to COVID-19 outlines how policies and practices have shifted to-date, and how the department intends to safely reopen schools.
The plan’s release coincides with Governor Steve Sisolak’s signed directive confirming school building closures and distance education for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.
NDE’s Path Forward Plan includes the establishment of a Re-Opening of Schools Committee. This Committee will support NDE in developing guidance for districts and charter schools to create and implement safe, efficient, and equitable plans for returning to school buildings. The Committee will be comprised of State health officials, district superintendents and staff, charter school leaders, school safety experts, and others.
The Committee will begin meeting in May 2020 and will create opportunities for stakeholders to provide feedback throughout its work.
The Path Forward Plan will build on the work of the Nevada Distance Learning Collaborative (DLC), a recently-created group to support educators and families in providing and participating in distance education across the State. The need for the DLC arose from challenges faced in the shift to distance education, including access to technology and professional learning for educators.
For more information on Nevada’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, visit NVHealthResponse.nv.gov.
