Governor Cuomo Announces New York Schools Will Remain Closed for the Remainder of the Year

Plans for summer school programming will be announced by the end of May.

By Jacqueline Neber May 1, 2020

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that all New York schools will remain closed for the remainder of the school year and continue to provide distance learning to ensure students and families are best protected from coronavirus at his May 1 daily briefing. The state had closed all K-12 schools by March 18 and waived the 180-day requirement for high schools. Colleges and universities were closed by March 19 except to those who need housing. Cuomo said that summer school programming updates will be announced by the end of May, but for now, parents can breathe a little easier knowing meal assistance programs and child care programs for essential workers will continue.

The government will work with schools to develop reopening plans that consider the following:

How to monitor the spread of the virus
How to instill confidence in parents and reinforce student safety
When and how extracurriculars will reopen
How protocols for special student populations might change
How housing, dining, and gathering will work on college campuses, and how public and private colleges will work together to share resources
Which steps will be taken to ensure students are provided mental health resources
Whether any alternative academic calendars would be successful

At the press conference, Cuomo estimated that the state’s social distancing measures have helped reduce the number of New Yorkers hospitalized by about 100,000 people. However, as of right now, approximately 1,000 new patients are still being hospitalized per day; the New York hospital system is still under duress.

Furthermore, New Yorkers are still under duress, Cuomo continued. The state has seen an uptick in mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, isolation, and loneliness, increased alcohol and drug consumption, and a 30-percent increase in domestic violence reports for the month of April. The governor provided mental health resources and encouraged New Yorkers to reach out.

“Don’t have any second thoughts about calling for help,” he said.

For emotional support, you can call the ES helpline at 1-844-863-9314, or head to the Headspace website for additional mental health resources. The New York Domestic Violence Helpline number is 1-844-997-2121.

New York is expanding mental health resources for frontline workers, and as of today is directing insurers to waive all cost-sharing/copays/deductibles for mental health services for frontline workers. A 24/7 support line, built in partnership with the Kate Spade New York Foundation and Crisis Text Line, is also now available for frontline workers. Text NYFRONTLINE to 741-741 to access support.

For more information on school news, head to the New York State Education Department website; for updates from Cuomo, head to his Facebook page to watch daily briefings. You can keep up with coronavirus news here and get tips for managing homeschooling with working from home, coping with anxiety during this time (both yours and your kids’), and more.

Main Image: Courtesy Jacqui Neber