PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday extended the statewide school closure until April 28 in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Brown signed an executive order lengthening the school closure to a total of six weeks. She initially announced a two-week closure that would have ended March 31.
“I do not take the decision to extend school closures lightly,” Brown said in a news release Tuesday evening. “This will have real impacts on Oregon’s students, parents, and educators. But we must act now to flatten the curve and slow the rate of COVID-19 transmission in Oregon, otherwise we face a higher strain on our medical system and greater loss of life to this disease.”
The details of Gov. Brown’s executive order include:
- Schools are to remain closed through Tuesday, April 28, 2020.
- Districts are to provide learning supports and supplemental services to students and families during the closure period, including meals and child care. This includes the delivery of food assistance and offering child care for essential health care professionals and first responders.
- School districts may call on public school educators and employees to deliver limited learning and support services.
- Each district will pay all their regular employees during the closure.
- The Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Health Authority, and Department of Human Services are directed to support public schools in the continuity of mental health services.
Brown also signed two additional executive orders Tuesday. The first limits restaurants to take-out orders only and bans gatherings of more than 25 people.
The second executive order declared an abnormal disruption of the market, which allows authorities to take action to prevent price gouging of much-needed supplies in high demand.