Gov. Brown: School this fall ‘will not look like a normal year’
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued the following statement Thursday, following Wednesday's meeting of the Healthy Schools Reopening Council:
“As COVID-19 continues to spread across Oregon, it has become clear that school this fall will not look like a normal year. Many, if not most Oregon students are in districts that will focus on online distance learning or have a hybrid model of some online education and some in-person classroom time.
“I am pushing school officials to make sure underserved and marginalized students––our kids of color and our low-income kids––get the support and opportunities they need. We cannot allow our response to this pandemic to increase racial disparities in educational outcomes.
"Whether or not kids are in school buildings this fall, we must provide the very best possible education for every single Oregon student, while ensuring that the school experience is as safe as possible for everyone: students, educators, support staff, parents, and the community at large," Brown said.
Members of the council received an update on public health COVID-19 metrics from representatives of the Oregon Health Authority.
Acknowledging that variations exist in COVID-19 spread county-by-county, council members began consideration of what specific metrics should guide local decisions about when and whether to shift from in-person to remote instruction during the school year.
They also discussed the specific needs for those students who do enter school buildings and the educators who serve them, including how to implement health and safety measures to limit the spread of the disease, such as the use of face coverings for students, how many students should be in a classroom at one time, and strategies for transportation with school bus capacity limited by physical distancing.
In addition, the council discussed expanded training and support for educators, ensuring all students have ways to access learning and critical support services under hybrid and comprehensive distance learning models, and providing more flexibility for a longer school year.
Student representatives on the council offered compelling examples of the ways schools and educators are vital to student mental health and well-being, and the difficulty of maintaining those connections and support when school buildings are closed.
The membership of the Healthy Schools Reopening Council is available here.
Healthy Early Learners Council Roster
Today, the Office of the Governor also announced the membership of the Healthy Early Learners Council. The council met this week and will continue to discuss the reopening and ongoing operation of early learning and child care programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the supports needed for parents and providers.
The full membership list of the Healthy Early Learners Council is available here.
Rep. Zika Appointed to Oregon Healthy Early Learners Council
Salem, OR – Governor Kate Brown has appointed Representative Jack Zika (R-Redmond) to the state Healthy Early Learners Council, an advisory committee formed to help ensure state rules and policies encourage good education outcomes for young children.
“With press reports that half of Central Oregon’s day cares and preschools may be forced to close permanently due to COVID-19 government-mandated closures, the state has much work to do. Even before the pandemic, Central Oregon suffered from a severe lack of early childhood care and education resources.
"As the father of young kids, myself, and someone who is working with our local businesses and nonprofits to help bring child care to our child care desert, this topic is very close to my heart.
"I am passionate about this issue, and I look forward to serving on the Council to ensure the state’s regulatory structure allows early childhood businesses and organizations to serve Oregon’s families better. We cannot let an entire generation of kids grow up without the critical support they need in these early developmental stages,” Zika said.
