RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane is co-chairing a task force to help Southern Regional Education Board member states identify strategies for re-opening schools and prepare for a potential resurgence of COVID-19.
The SREB Education Recovery Task Force — co-chaired by Lane and SREB President Stephen L. Pruitt — will convene its first meeting next week.
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“All of the SREB states will benefit from the task force’s collective expertise as each state strives to make proactive decisions for students, now and for the coming school year,” Lane said. “I look forward to sharing what we have learned in Virginia about keeping students connected with learning during this crisis, and how we are planning to assess and meet their instructional and social and emotional needs once it is safe to resume formal instruction.”
“How schools reopen is much more important than how they closed. We must ensure each student has every opportunity to learn, and that the crisis doesn’t hinder states’ improvement in education and strengthening of the workforce,” said Pruitt, who served as the state education commissioner in Kentucky prior to becoming SREB president.
The task force will provide guidance on reopening schools once the pandemic subsides and governors lift closure orders. The task force also will address the following concerns, common to the 16 SREB member states:
- Students’ academic growth and any possible learning loss
- Equity and opportunity for students during and after the crisis
- Using federal stimulus funds effectively and managing state budget priorities
- Access to broadband and the use of technology
The SREB is an Atlanta-based non-profit and non-partisan organization focused on improving education policy and student outcomes in its member states.