UPDATED 2:40 p.m. FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020
Governor JB Pritzker is suspending in-person learning at schools for the remainder of the academic year. Remote learning will continue.
The governor made the announcement Friday during his daily briefing.
鈥淚鈥檝e said time and time again, our decisions must follow the science and the science says our students can鈥檛 go back to their normal routine this school year,鈥� said Governor JB Pritzker. 鈥淥ver the last month, Illinois鈥� schools have stepped up and faced the many challenges of COVID-19 with generosity, creativity, and a resolute focus on caring for students, parents and communities. I am confident that our schools will manage and expand the learning opportunities for all our children who will be working from home over the coming weeks.鈥�
鈥淥ur school buildings may be closed, but the hearts and minds of our teachers and students are wide open,鈥� said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. 鈥淭his pandemic has altered the fabric of how we teach, learn, and connect, but it has not shaken the core of what our schools do, which is take care of Illinois鈥� children and prepare them for what鈥檚 next. Our schools focus on social and emotional skills, like resilience and empathy, for this very reason: so that when the unpredictable events in life knock us down, we get right back up. The Illinois State Board of Education is addressing the digital divide head on and planning for the transition back to school in the fall to help our students and educators face and overcome the challenges ahead.鈥�
The governor said Illinois will receive approximately $569 million in federal funding for prek-12 schools, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The funding will be used to help equip students with technology and internet access to enhance remote learning, support teachers in developing their remote instruction skills, and assist schools in continuing to provide meals to children and communities.
ORIGINAL STORY
CHICAGO (WSIL) -- Governor JB Pritzker is expected to announce the closure of schools for the remainder of the academic year, several Chicago media outlets are reporting, including .
The announcement is expected to be made at his 2:30 p.m. daily briefing.
Governor Mike Parson announced that all Missouri schools would remain closed for the rest of the academic year.
Indiana and Iowa have also made similar announcements.
Gov. Pritzker initially announced a statewide school closure due to the pandemic on March 13.
The order was to be in effect from March 17 through March 30, but he extended the order to go through April 30.
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