Alabama K-12 schools to remain closed through academic year

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[Photo Credit: Pixabay.com]

All K-12 schools in Alabama will remain closed through the academic year, Governor Kay Ivey announced Thursday afternoon as the state took a dramatic step to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Ivey announced the extension to a previous two-and-a-half-week closure as the coronavirus spreads across the state. Yellowhammer State students have already been out of school for over a week, as the state closed all K-12 schools on March 19. 

“We must be serious about eliminating this virus,” Ivey said during a press conference.

Ivey’s announcement comes in the wake of the news that the state has topped 501 cases of the coronavirus, a day after the state reported its first death related to the disease.

How schools will handle this unprecedented situation remains unknown.

“Beginning at the start of school on April 6, 2020, all public K-12 schools shall implement a plan to complete the 2019-2020 school year using alternate methods of instruction as established by the State Superintendent of Education,” Ivey explained.

Many schools are expected to move teaching online.

School officials say the school year will now end on June 5th. Most schools in the state typically run through mid-May.