State preparing to forgive low school attendance during COVID-19 pandemic

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is exploring ways to help schools deal with the impact of the spread of COVID-19.

The department is telling school districts to prepare to go to alternative methods such as online classes.

The virus also has the potential to affect attendance at Mid-Missouri school districts. Columbia Public Schools is allowing parents to pull students from class if they are at high risk of contracting the virus outside of school.

Despite that, CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said attendance rates have been about average in the district for this time of year.

On Thursday student attendance was at 92 percent. Attendance was around the same at each level.

• Elementary -- 93 percent
• Middle school -- 92 percent
• High school -- 90 percent

Fulton Public Schools also said attendance was average for this time of year.

State Rep. Kip Kendrick (D-Columbia) has been talking with the education department about how the state plans to assist schools as COVID-19, the potentially deadly disease caused by novel coronavirus, continues to grow.

The state has requested the school districts look at alternative instruction methods such as having online classes.

"Many of the school districts around the state will have the ability to move to an online portal, but obviously all of them won't," Kendrick said.

He said the department will work with schools to find other alternative measures if schools shut down.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has a contract with a vendor that schools can use to implement virtual learning.

The department has guidelines posted on its website for when school districts should shut down. Those guidelines recommend a school close if an infected person has been in the building. It also encourages school districts to communicate with local health officials if there are cases in the community.

Kendrick said the department also has plans to forgive low attendance rates.

"The state's going to work with the schools to make sure the payments continue. That they aren't necessarily held accountable for more absentee rates," he said.

Kendrick said the accountability measures that are typically in place for daily attendance will be set aside.

Schools currently have through May 22 to complete state-required testing. Kendrick said he would not be surprised if the federal government moved that deadline to allow give schools more time.

Kendrick said the decision to shut down schools is difficult and could affect some students negatively because some parents are still working and students could congregate outside of school.

"Here in Columbia Public Schools close to 50 percent of the children are on free and reduced (price) lunch. There are many school children in Columbia and around the state who only eat when they go to school," he said.

According to a letter sent to local representatives, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Food and Nutrition Services has applied for waivers from the Department of Agriculture to allow schools to feed students on free and reduced-price lunch at school or alternate locations.

The letter also outlines how the state will continue to provide payments to schools in the event they close or go to alternative methods.

Kendrick said the state is working toward solutions to those problems and should use this to discuss how it can be more prepared for similar situations in the future.

"Once we get through this, and we will get through this," Kendrick said. "Once we get through this and normalcy is returned we will have to do a deep dive into how to improve upon our response in the future."

Gov. Mike Parson declared a state of emergency statewide Friday as the virus continued to spread. The announcement came just hours after President Donald Trump declared a federal emergency.

Parson during a news conference stressed that the declaration does not force schools to shut down. Some governors have ordered public schools to temporarily close as they deal with COVID-19 outbreaks.