New Hampshire schools are likely to remain closed for the rest of the year, the state’s top education official says, but Gov. Chris Sununu is still waiting to make the final call.
At a virtual question-and-answer forum Tuesday night, Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said the state will likely continue remote learning through to the summer as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
The governor is expected to make the final decision Friday, Edelblut said. But because of the changing nature of the information released about the virus, Edelblut added that the decision could be delayed.
“We may find ourselves in a circumstances where that decision has to wait a little bit longer,” he said. “But today the indication is that it may continue beyond the fourth (of May) and it may continue for the remainder of the semester.”
When it comes to school closings, New Hampshire officials have moved the goalposts a few times. Initially, the state implemented a two-week remote learning order on March 13, mandating that districts shift to online teaching within a week. That order, originally set to expire April 3, was then pushed to May 4. Now the remote learning model is likely to be extended to the end of the semester.
“We started out on a sprint, which had our first evaluation date of April 3,” Edelblut said. “Then our sprint turned into a 10K to bring us through May 4. And now the question is will this become a marathon and are we prepared to run a marathon?”
Throughout the call, hosted by the conservative activist group Americans for Prosperity, Edelblut and State Board of Education Chairman Drew Cline said repeatedly that the remote education status had not stopped students from learning.
“The school year is continuing. Kids are learning. Education is happening. Just because the building is closed, doesn’t mean that we’re out of school,” he said.
Cline said the board is working with school districts to plan for scenarios in which schools reopen before the end of the semester or they’re closed through summer.
Edelblut said the department is concerned about career and technical education programs, many of which are hosted out of schools and require hands-on instruction and equipment.
The Education Department is working to figure out a plan for how to accommodate those programs if remote learning continues into the summer, Edelblut said.
A hearing has been scheduled for Friday in a lawsuit seeking to block Gov. Chris Sununu from spending federal COVID-19 relief funds without lawmakers’ permission.
Democratic leaders of the New Hampshire Legislature this week sued the governor, a Republican, arguing that only the legislative fiscal committee has the power to spend the $1.25 billion the state is expected to get. Sununu counters that state law grants him authority to take immediate action during a crisis, including creating the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery to disburse the money.
Lawmakers will have input via an advisory panel, which met for a second time Wednesday.
With physical sports at a standstill, the New Hampshire Lottery has added eNASCAR to its sports betting portfolio. It features online drivers competing in simulated real cars, tracks and races. The next eNASCAR race, Round 6 of the Coca-Cola iRacing Series, takes place at 9 p.m. April 28 at the simulated Dover International Speedway through a simulation platform.
In addition to eNASCAR, the New Hampshire Lottery features some other sporting events for wagering, including table tennis and soccer. The Lottery and DraftKings launched mobile and online sports betting in New Hampshire on Dec. 30.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.