Feb. 11, 2021  

HB 208 ensures that the critical flexibility under which our schools have operated to date will stay in place for the remainder of this year, allowing administrators and school boards to address pandemic challenges unique to their communities. As districts continue transitioning back to traditional, in-person instruction, this bill provides certainty as to the rules they must follow in the wake of constantly evolving COVID-19 guidance without abandoning the framework to which districts have adhered throughout this school year. In this late stage of the school calendar, adopting all new rules would only cause upheaval and confusion, further delaying the return to normal operations that is currently underway.

 

HB 208, among other things, grants districts continued flexibility in the safe distribution of school meals that we have witnessed throughout the pandemic, no matter what. It also allows us to continue granting educational enhancement opportunity days, ensuring our military service-bound seniors meet their obligations without delay. Ultimately, this legislation ensures that, in the homestretch of this unprecedented school year, our local district leaders can effectively address food service, staffing shortages, instruction, attendance and funding issues that are different in every community.