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No, school boards can not make an entire school district go remote because of COVID-19 cases

Schools now have the option to go remote. A lot of our viewers are wondering who makes those calls, and can a whole district go remote?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Remote learning is just a part of schools now, whether it's because of COVID-19 or a snowstorm. Schools now have the option to go remote. A lot of our viewers are wondering who makes those calls, and can a whole district go remote? 

In 2020, COVID-19 changed the way many school districts approach remote learning. One area people are interested in, and they're asking the Charlotte Mecklenburg School District who makes the rules when it comes to remote learning? 

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THE QUESTION:

Can the school board make an entire school district go remote because of COVID-19 Cases? 

OUR SOURCES:

THE ANSWER: 

No, the school board can not make an entire school district go remote because of COVID-19 cases. That is up to individual schools, an entire district can only go remote if an emergency situation arises. 

WHAT WE FOUND: 

In August, this senate bill was signed into law, changing the way schools can go remote. 

"We can't have the whole district go remote no districts are allowed to do that," Elyse Dashew said. 

The law says individual schools or classes can only switch to remote learning if COVID-19 exposures lead to not having enough teachers or too many students quarantined. In-person classes must resume once there is enough staff or students quarantines are complete. 

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"That decision needs to be made one day at a time, and it has to be filed with DPI," Dashew said. 

Under the law, school districts must report to the state department of Public Instruction within 72 hours if they have shifted any schools or classes to remote learning because of COVID-19. 

Dashew said the only way a whole district can go remote is if there is an emergency. 

"If there are other emergencies like a flood in a school or like a snow day districts, have up to five days that they could turn into remote instruction days," Dashew said. 

Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

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