PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey announced Wednesday afternoon that he is still hopeful schools will be able to open for in-person classes in the fall.
Gov. Ducey issued a statewide closure of schools starting on March 16 because of the coronavirus, and that closure lasted through the end of the school year.
At a press conference Wednesday, Ducey said he is hopeful summer camps, youth activities and fall classes are all going to be possible as the state continues to reopen. You can watch Governor Ducey's full press briefing from Wednesday in the player below.
“Our goal is we want to open up summer camps, schools and youth activities. So we are planning ahead,” Ducey said. “All the evidence that we have seen over the last four or five weeks says it is responsible and prudent to plan ahead for schools, summer camps and youth activities.”
Ducey said his team is working with the education community, including school leaders, on a plan to safely resume school in the fall.
Details on when summer camps and youth group activities would be able to resume, or what goals would need to be accomplished first, have not been released.
The CDC issued guidance this week on how to safely reopen schools, but an exact plan has not been released for Arizona.
The CDC recommends that once schools do resume in person, staff and students wear face coverings while on campus.
The recommendations say all shared equipment like gym or playground equipment should be limited and cleaned between each use, and the agency also calls for keeping student desks six feet apart and always facing the same direction.
