State Education Officials Issue Recommendations, No Mandates | Eastern NC Now

Publisher's note: The author of this post is Terry Stoops for the John Locke Foundation.

    The NC Department of Public Instruction released their back-to-school guidance, Lighting Our Way Forward: NC's Guidebook for Reopening Public Schools, today.

• Lighting Our Way Forward: NC's Guidebook for Reopening Public Schools provides considerations, recommendations, and best practices to ensure a safe and successful 2020-21 school year. Except for requirements designated by executive orders issued by the Governor's Office, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina General Statutes, and North Carolina State Board of Education Policy, the guidance and recommendations contained within this document are not mandated. Public School Units (PSUs) have the authority and the flexibility to meet their local needs and be responsive to their communities. As impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic evolve, the SBE and NCDPI will continue to provide updated guidance and recommendations to districts and schools on navigating the academic, social, and emotional effects on students and employees.

    Now school districts will have to wait on the NC Department of Health and Human Services to determine next steps. Time is running out...