Governor Doug Ducey and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman met virtually with superintendents from across the state Wednesday afternoon. Hoffman told ABC15 in a statement, the bulk of that time was spent listening to districts' concerns regarding reopening schools and the current spread of COVID-19.
No decisions were made Wednesday, but an update could come in the next few days.
Right now, the school year will start with remote learning until at least August 17. More than a dozen school districts are already making their own timelines.
The following districts have delayed in-person learning through Labor Day (September 7th):
- Osborn School District
- PV Unified
- Scottsdale Unified
- Washington Elementary School District
The following districts will keep students and staff off-campus through early October:
- Phoenix Elementary District
- Phoenix Union HS District
- Alhambra District
- Roosevelt District
- Deer Valley Unified
- Casa Grande Elementary School District
Other school districts have said they will stay remote indefinitely, or "until it is safe" to return. Those districts include:
- Isaac School District
- Mesa Public Schools
- Chandler Unified
- Pendergast Elementary School District
Flagstaff Unified will weigh an October start to in-person instruction during their governing board meeting Thursday, and the Madison School District will consider a Labor Day target date next Tuesday.
Dr. Scott Menzel is the new superintendent of Scottsdale Unified School District. He says balancing the varying wants and needs of district families while prioritizing safety, is difficult.
"We selected the day after Labor Day because we knew that parents wanted some certainty and we didn't feel confident that August 17 was the date we would really be safe to return to learn," he said, "but none of the dates that we identified are things that are etched in stone because there are too many unknowns."
