Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the 180-day instruction requirement for New York schools has been waived amid the coronavirus crisis during a press conference on Friday.
Normally, schools in New York have to instruct students for at least 180 days in order to receive state funding and must make up lost days by either adding extra hours to school days or tacking on extra days to academic calendars.
The announcement came after Cuomo said he was against calling for all schools to close during the coronavirus crisis because too many students rely on their schools for meals and having children at home could prevent healthcare workers with children from showing up to work. Cuomo added that it would be up to localities to decided on what to do about school closures.
The state policy is schools must shut down for 24 hours in order to be cleaned if a student tests positive for COVID-19.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as new information becomes available.
