COLUMBIA, S.C. — In front of the Senate's Re-Open South Carolina Select Committee Education Superintendent Molly Spearman gave a warning.
“This COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to create an education crisis for a generation of our South Carolina students. And, I'm here today to ask you to help me, help us, make that not a reality,” Spearman said.
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She spoke for nearly an hour detailing the funding requests and guidelines they'd need to get back to classrooms.
Here's what a return to school in 2020 could look like:
- Summer reading and math programs for four weeks starting July 6th. The program would be for 25,000 kindergarten through 3rd grade students for 3.5 hours a day. Nine districts would conduct it virtually
- Schools would return sometime around August 17
- Recommended 5 additional days of instruction for kindergarten through 8th grade, currently optional for each district
- Flexibility on starting in August or after Labor Day
Spearman said other classroom issues are also being worked out for both the summer and fall.
“We have since met with DHEC and we believe we can run a fairly normal schedule with social distancing to the extent possible in a classroom that we will be able to have close to normal class sizes, in the 18-20 students in a classroom with desks separated as much as possible,” Spearman said.
She also mentioned DHEC and the Department had come to an agreement on how to social distances on school buses.
Superintendent Spearman said she plans on presenting the same recommendations to the Accelerate SC Committee on Thursday.
Accelerate SC Chairman James Burns attended Wednesday’s Senate meeting and gave his own recommendations.
He said one of businesses’ bigger problems is potential liability issues.
“I think there's somewhat of a crisis of confidence right now with some of our businesses and I think to the extent that we can remove the limitations that's causing that crisis-- to the extent this body and the House can do that. Our recommendation to the Governor is that be done,” Burns said.
So, they’re recommending a few things as businesses reopen.
To start, limited liability protection for businesses reopening during the pandemic. Lawmakers said the proposed changes would sunset within a given time frame.
They’re also recommending the creation of a state stockpile of personal protective gear along with widespread testing programs.
Greenville Mayor and Accelerate SC member Knox White recommended pledges from businesses to follow guidelines.
“So, we have what's called the Greenville pledge. And it works like this, sponsored by the way by Greenville County, the city, chamber of commerce, and basically if you're a business, or retailer, or if you're a restaurant, you go on the website, it's a great website. It breaks into this is the protocol, if you can live with that protocol, if you like that protocol, understand it, you sign the pledge online. And, if you do that, you also get to feature this in your window at your store, so people walking by can see this restaurant has taken the Greenville pledge,” White explained.
More recommendations will be made to the full accelerate SC Committee on Thursday.