An executive order by Governor Andrew Cuomo in April waived the 180-day rule for schools. Schools risked losing significant state dollars for each day that students did not learn in the classroom. This executive order, though, suggests that the waiver only applied to the past school year.
"No school shall be subject to a diminution in school aid due to failure to meet the 180 day in session requirement as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, provided their closure does not extend beyond the term set forth herein," the order reads.
Elements of the executive order were extended but it is not clear if the 180-day rule was extended.
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said on Tuesday that the state will be flexible on the education front.
"There will be some cases where it's remote learning and distance learning," Hochul said. "Certainly that would count as a day towards their education."
Hochul said that there has already been a loosening of restrictions related to the liquor authority, evictions, and taxes. She said the same will apply for students.
"No one saw this (pandemic) coming," she said. "No one planned for it. As a state, we're doing everything we can to lift some of those burdens on everyone."
Maryvale Schools announced on Tuesday they are operating remotely for the entire first month of classes. Their phase two may begin in early-October which will feature a hybrid model similar to Hamburg and Cheektowaga.
The Teacher's Desk continues to prepare for the school year:
The Teacher's Desk, a non-profit organization that supplies teachers and students with materials for the school year, is continuing its work to prepare teachers for the school year.
"For now it's curbside pickup," Mika said. "Every teacher that has an appointment...will get a shopping cart filled with $1,000 in free school supplies. It's going to be generic across the board. We did our best to include everything that will work out in K-12 grade."
Mika said that it's largely business as usual with them, though he acknowledged that coronavirus impacted them. He said 110 people with special needs, who typically volunteer by packaging materials for teachers, are not able to come back.