Friday was the deadline for school districts in New York to submit their reopening plans to the state for approval.
If districts do not submit their reopening plans by today, Governor Andrew Cuomo said they will not be allowed to start in-person classes this fall, including over two dozen school districts on Long Island that Cuomo had singled out for failing to properly submit their plans.
Districts have another deadline next Friday: They must hold question and answer sessions with parents and teachers on reopening plans. And, update their websites with details on how virus testing, contact tracing and remote learning will work.
Cuomo said some districts are not following through.
“School districts want to manipulate conversations, school districts want to stonewall conversation,” Cuomo said. "It's going to show up on the first day that school is supposed to open because the parents won’t send the kids and the teachers won't show up.”
Cuomo said all regions of the state are allowed to reopen schools, but it’s on districts to make parents and teachers feel safe enough to return.
He wants all information sessions to be held by next Friday.
