Gov. Jim Justice announced at a virtual news conference Wednesday a handful of school reopening policies.
Justice says his administration is developing a color-coded system that would determine coronavirus threat levels that would determine whether schools would operate in-person at full capacity or deploy altered instructional plans.
Justice was asked about what thresholds would be required to pull back from in-person instruction or lessen the number of students allowed in schools. He said metrics are not ready to be released.
Justice also said education officials are working to create 1,000 wireless locations across all of the state’s 55 counties for students who don’t have internet access. He says transportation to these sites will be provided and the project will cost about $6 million.
The governor also said counties must develop plans detailing how to minimize exposure to the coronavirus, how to feed children regardless of how instruction is delivered, and plans to provide support services for students who need help.
Counties must submit these plans to the state Department of Education by Aug. 14. West Virginia schools are scheduled to reopen Sept. 8.
