Local schools ponder whether to lift mask requirements for students
Gov. Asa Hutchinson will give a decision on lifting the state-wide mask mandate at the end of March. Some schools say they might stick with the masks anyway. Author: Bailey Devane Updated: 5:55 PM CST March 11, 2021
SPRINGDALE, Ark. Leaders of local school districts are debating if students should continue wearing masks in class, even if Governor Asa Hutchinson lifts the mask mandate at the end of March.
Springdale Schools say their students are good about wearing masks, and their COVID-19 numbers are lower than ever. So with only around nine weeks left in the school year, Springdale Schools say they might keep the facemask requirement if the mandate is lifted.
The
state Education Department has announced the release of an abbreviated
school report card for the 2019-20 school year on account of the school disruptions caused by COVID-19.
In my view, much could be edited from state report cards permanently, beginning with the misleading one-letter grade for schools that depends so much on standardized tests that measure income and family circumstances more than they measure school or student quality. The grade isn’t being included this year because testing was waived in the last school year.
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Education Secretary Johnny Key insists this report still provides “valuable information that can be used to identify best practices and areas that need improvement.” Here are some tips for schools: Enroll as many middle-class kids as possible and try to hold down the number of impoverished, special needs and non-English-speaking students.