New guidance allows rural schools to reopen classrooms easier

As the school year approaches, the Oregon Department of Education has released new guidelines that make it easier for rural school districts to get students back into the classroom.

Back.

With the fall semester quickly approaching schools are still finalizing their re- opening plans... kezi 9 news reporter chris lueneburg checked in on the updated state rules for rural schools today... and why they might be able to get back into schools sooner.

"the mckenzie school district plans to do remote learning when the school year starts-- but the oregon department of education's new guidelines open up new doors for possible in- person learning at rural districts like this one."

Schools that are remote and have lower enrollments have more lenient reopening requirements regarding county positivity rates and and cases per 100 thousand.

In lane county...that includes mckenzie schools... which could open its doors if it chose to do so.

But the district says there are more elements to consider before jumping into in- person learning.

"even though our community is rural, we do have a lot of movement between our communities, and eugene-springfield and the greater lane county.

We feel looking at the lane county numbers and metrics is a good indicator to follow."

The district will be looking at county numbers before deciding if they want to move to a hybrid model in october-- however, they do say that the state's rules for limited in- person learning could allow them to bring in students who don't have adequate internet access.

"at five,