NH Gov. Chris Sununu To Sign Order Requiring All Schools Provide In-Person Learning Option
CONCORD N.H. (CBS) – New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu announced on Thursday he will sign an executive order requiring all K-12 schools provide an option for in-person learning at least two days a week.
The executive order goes into effect starting March 8.
Sununu said close to 60% of schools are currently learning in a hybrid model, 40% have in-person learning five days a week and "only a few" still operate fully remote.
Any school facing a significant outbreak or with staffing issues can pause in-person learning "for a day or two," Sununu said. The Republican governor said there have been no outbreaks in public schools and "only a handful of clusters."
"I've long said we need to get our kids back in the classroom, and today's action is a step in the right direction. The data is there, the will of the kids is there, the will of the parents is there - and that's what we are doing at the state level," Sununu said.
New Hampshire teachers have urged Sununu to move them up in priority for the COVID vaccine. The state is currently in Phase 1b of its vaccine plan and educators are next in line when Phase 2a gets underway.
"The data is clear. Even without complete teacher vaccination, schools can reopen safely. At the state level, we have prioritized our most vulnerable first. Any teacher 65+ or with underlying health conditions can book their vaccine today," Sununu said. "I would also like to take a moment to thank the teachers, schools, and administrators who have embraced in-person learning and found a pathway to success. Schools that have offered in-person learning have been a model for their peers."