Coronavirus Concerns Prompt Mass. Schools To Have Attendance, Closure Relief
BOSTON (CBS) -- Massachusetts schools will no longer have to comply with attendance and school year requirements due to the coronavirus threat, Gov. Charlie Baker announced. A State of Emergency was declared Tuesday.
This means no schools will be required to stay open after June 30, even if closures due to coronavirus push their required 185 school days past that date. Attendance data for the rest of the school year will also be disregarded across the state.
Baker said the state's department of education is "strongly urging all districts to cancel all out of state travel at this time. This is in addition to our existing request for schools to cancel international trips."
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"China and other countries that saw early outbreaks are making progress and pushing back against the disease but it's only possible if everybody plays their part. And it's only possible if step-up mitigations happen now," said Baker.
Stratton Elementary School in Arlington was be closed Monday as they await test results for a student who showed coronavirus symptoms. The child later tested positive.
As of Tuesday, there were 92 presumptive and confirmed cases of coronavirus.