Manatee public schools will remain closed through April because of the coronavirus

Public schools in Manatee County will remain closed through May 1, continuing a series of closures since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

Confusion spread through social media on Monday evening, when a handful of school districts announced their extended closures, citing a recommendation from the Florida Department of Education.

After the sporadic announcements, Superintendent Cynthia Saunders sought clarification from the state.

“The Florida Department of Education, specifically Commissioner Corcoran, recommended that all schools be closed through the month of April,” said Mike Barber, the district’s spokesman.

The state issued a news release on Tuesday afternoon, nearly 24 hours after the information began to surface in news reports and individual school districts.

“This recommendation follows President Donald J. Trump and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) extension of social distancing guidelines until April 30,” the release states.

Corcoran, the state’s education commissioner, first recommended that all schools extend their spring break. Manatee would have returned to school on March 30, but Corcoran followed up with an emergency order, effectively closing schools through mid-April.

The order also canceled state assessments and directed money to computer and internet purchases for low-income families.

“All school districts are recommended to keep their facilities closed except to staff and teachers, per CDC guidance, through April 15,” the order states.

On Monday, it seems Corcoran issued another strong recommendation. Manatee schools will remain closed through May 1 and continue students’ education online, “regardless of the challenges,” the superintendent said in a prepared statement.

“We also understand the need to protect the safety of our students, employees and community, so we are prepared and willing to provide instruction online for as long as it takes,” Saunders said.

About 29,600 individuals logged on to Schoology, the online learning platform used by the district, throughout Monday. Approximately 4,400 teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators did the same, according to a news release.

Monday was the first day of online classes in Manatee County. It was briefly interrupted when Schoology crashed for approximately one hour, affecting students throughout the country, but the district trudged forward.

Planning for the continued use of online learning, the district passed out thousands of computers and meals to families on Monday, and WiFi hotspots were planned for the near future.

Students are currently scheduled to return on May 4 and finish the school year on May 28, but extended closures remain a possibility.

In a past communication, the state education department said “school districts should be prepared to extend their educational calendars through June 30, 2020, to the extent feasible and necessary.”

Manatee hoped to stay on track with online learning and complete the school year on time, the superintendent has said. That plan remained as of Tuesday morning, Barber confirmed.

“Of course, we’re living in a very uncertain time, but that is the goal,” he said.

This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 11:20 AM with the headline "Manatee public schools will remain closed through April because of the coronavirus."