Governor Tate Reeves announced via live stream on March 19, that he will be signing an executive order that closes all public schools until April 17. Reeves said this will give officials a four week period to further evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Reeves advised that this is not a time for vacations, but continued learning. He praised the innovativeness of education officials who have found ways to help students continue learning. He mentioned that several school districts have resorted to online courses and providing other materials.
Reeves also announced that he plans to relax the testing requirement, and give maximum flexibility to the Mississippi State Board of Education to ensure they can waive any rules and regulations they may have in place. Reeves also said school districts will get paid, and teachers will be paid their annual salary on time.
He advised that this is not a time to panic. Reeves said, “This is a time to recognize we are in unprecedented, uncharted waters, but we will get through it.”
