Palm Beach County Delays The Start of Classes Until Aug. 31

Students in Palm Beach County will have three more weeks to prepare for the start of distance learning.

*Photo courtesy by Taimy Alvarez/South Florida Sun-Sentinel.*

The School Board made a unanimous decision last week to delay the start of the school year until Monday, Aug. 31.

Originally, students were supposed to be returning on Aug. 10, however, the District plans to use this time to distribute 82,000 new laptops for students who did not have access to required resources. In addition, the delay gives teachers an opportunity to prepare lesson plans in a digital format throughout the county.

The School District plans to proceed with implementing online learning until the COVID-19 pandemic improves.

According to the School District of Palm Beach County’s website, school board members proposed adding two more pre-school days for employee professional development in the T-bargaining unit.

The Classroom Teachers Association will make the final approval for those additional pre-school days.

The calendar change to the start date means the school board will have to propose ending classes on June 18. Many parents are concerned this could potentially reduce the time frame for summer activities.

However, there will be time off for the holidays and vacation including a week off for Thanksgiving and two weeks off for winter break. In addition to a week off in March for spring break.

Tension continues to arise between teachers and the state about the order issued on July 6 requiring school buildings to reopen next month.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, on Monday teachers sued the state due to the health risks to Florida’s school employees and families.

In order to move into Phase 2 of the county’s plan, a sustained drop in positive coronavirus tests and hospitalizations will be required.

While School District employees will not face a gap in pay due to the delay, roughly 4,000 support staff can expect a two-week delay in paychecks.

Those affected by this gap include bus drivers, school food service workers, and paraprofessionals.

Palm Beach County is one of the dozens of school districts across the state that are delaying or moving to delay the start of classes including, but not limited to Brevard, Martin, Duval, Pinellas, Orange, and Volusia counties.

School Board member, Barbara McQuinn voted to continue distance learning until the second phase of the state’s reopening plan can be implemented in Palm Beach County.

The plans will be submitted to the Florida Department of Education for approval.

For more information on the reopening of schools for the 2020-2021 school year and to view the reopening plan, visit palmbeachschools.org/reopeningschools.