(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that District students will continue learning at home until the end of the school year in order to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of students, teachers, and officials during the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. DC Public Schools (DCPS) will close on May 29, 2020. The District’s public charter school operators will make determinations on closures, but are encouraged to follow DCPS’ operating status.
Supporting Learning at Home
Since the District students began learning at home on March 24, the District’s online learning hub on Canvas has received more than 2 million page views, and DCPS has printed over 75,000 learning packets for students. DCPS is in the process of distributing 16,000 devices and 5,000 hotspots to students in need to support their learning at home experience. Individual schools are reaching out directly to families in need to distribute devices and hotspots.
OSSE Requirements Waived
The Office of the State Superintendent is waiving:
- 180-day rule;
- Community service requirement;
- Carnegie unit (or “seat-time”) requirement for high school courses that students were already enrolled in.
AP Courses
The College Board is offering online Advanced Placement (AP) exams, and DCPS is distributing devices to students in AP courses who need a device.
Food Support for DC Families
The District’s school meal sites have served more than 162,000 meals to students at our meal sites, and 10 grocery sites at DC schools, available to all families, were launched this week.
For more information on the District’s COVID-19 response, visit coronavirus.dc.gov.