Beech Tree News Network

Students in Butler County and around the state will not be returning to the classrooms for in-person instruction for the 2019-20 school year.  That decision was announced today by state officials after consulting with superintendents from across the state. Instead, students will continue witn non-traditional instruction (NTI) until district attendance requirements are met.  After General Assembly action earlier this spring amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, legislators eased attendance requirements for school districts allowing them to meet the statutory requirement with either 170 days of instruction or 1,062 hours of instruction.  Most school districts are expected to reach the hour threshold before the day requirement.   

Butler County Schools’ Superintendent Scott Howard was in that meeting today and he said the local district is looking at what the announcement will mean for Butler County.

“In a virtual Microsoft team meeting today with the Governor and Commissioner of Education, Kentucky School Superintendents we’re asked not to return to in person classes this year,” said Howard. “ The districts were asked to continue with the NTI Days until they reach 1,062 hours.  All NTI days will be allowed to count for 7 hours of instruction.”  

Local school officials are working to determine what that date will be, as well as how to deal with end-of-year events such as graduation.  The Butler County Board of Education will be meeting tomorrow through an online platform. Among the agenda items are issues related COVID-19 and its impact on the school year.  

“The district is working now to calculate when the district would reach 1,062 hours and ultimately will be the last day of school.  Thank you to everyone as we work through this unprecedented time,” said Howard. “More information will be released in the near future.”

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