With NC schools closed because of coronavirus, some may reopen as childcare centers
Some North Carolina public schools could reopen to serve as emergency childcare centers to take care of children of “front line workers” who are providing critical services.
All North Carolina K-12 public schools have been closed since Monday and will remain that way through at least March 30 as a a result of an executive order from Gov. Roy Cooper.
But state leaders are worried that the closures of schools and many childcare centers could hurt the ability of people such as healthcare and public safety professionals to serve during the crisis.
Deputy State Superintendent David Stegall said Wednesday that they’re working through the issues needed to reopen some schools to handle childcare.
“There are lot of risks that go along with this, as we know,” Stegall said at Wednesday’s State Board of Education meeting. “But we want to step up to the plate and be available as much as possible.”
Stegall said there are about 4,500 paid private childcare centers in North Carolina. He said about 1,500 remain open and about 1,300 are closed. He said they haven’t heard from the remaining centers, so they think many of them are also closed.
A 800 telephone number will go live sometime Wednesday so that parents can call to find out about available childcare, Stegall said. He said those calls could help them determine where the need exists in the state for school-based programs.
Stegall said they don’t want the new free school-based centers to take money away from private facilities and cause them to shut down.
Stegall is co-chairman of a working group created by Cooper to deal with education, nutrition and childcare issues caused by the school closures.
Providing childcare for healthcare workers
State leaders discussed Tuesday their concerns that childcare closures could have on the ability to respond to COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.
“We know that childcare centers have been provided very specific guidance on how to keep children safe, the workers safe and the parents safe who come there,” Cooper said. “We also know that childcare is essential for our front line healthcare workers.”
Mandy Cohen, state Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, said many childcare programs are weighing whether to stay open. She said there’s no right or wrong answer.
“The reality is that we need them,” Cohen said. “We need them to help our front line healthcare workers or our folks who are going to be working in our grocery stores that we know are going to see a change here, our pharmacies.”
Cohen said they want to make sure the people on the “front lines” have the opportunity to be at work and to focus on those patients who they are caring for right now.
Stegall also updated the State Board of Education on efforts to feed students and educate students remotely during the closures. Among the issues he says still need to be resolved is how to make sure high school seniors can meet graduation requirements, especially as it’s unclear when schools will reopen.
Wake County Superintendent Cathy Moore warned families and school employees Tuesday night that “it is quite possible traditional schooling will not return to normal well beyond March 30.”
This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 10:43 AM with the headline "With NC schools closed because of coronavirus, some may reopen as childcare centers."
