UPDATE: In a conference call with state leaders and school leaders Sunday afternoon, Gov. Little declined to call for school closures. Additionally, state leaders and school leaders urged school districts to exercise caution in school closures around Idaho.
Sunday morning, the Idaho Education Association called for Idaho schools to close amid the spread of COVID-19.
The IEA is calling on the state to close all schools for at least three weeks, including spring break. The IEA Board of Directors will be issuing a statement with a series of recommendations for school districts Monday.
Gov. Brad Little will address the possible closure of Idaho schools on Sunday due to the spread of coronavirus, according to an email from Boise School District.
Gov. Little, in collaboration with the Idaho Association of School Administrators, the Idaho School Board Association and the State Superintendent's Office, has scheduled a conference call for Sunday in which they will address COVID-19 with education stakeholders. The governor's office has requested that officials wait until after the conference call to make any decisions related to school closure.
RELATED: Idaho colleges plan to go online as soon as possible to combat spread of the coronavirus.
Educators had been meeting throughout Saturday to analyze the most up-to-date information available on COVID-19 and the impact it could have on Idaho students, staff and community.
As of Saturday evening, a conference call occurred with Southern Idaho Conference superintendents representing West Ada, Nampa, Caldwell, Kuna and other Treasure Valley schools. Gov. Little's education adviser participated in the call as well.
Superintendents across the Treasure Valley are trying to balance concerns from parents, guidance from Idaho medical professionals as well as the best interest of Idaho students and school staff members.
Boise School District says they will respect the right of parents and guardians to make choices they believe are best for their child, and will do their best to provide as much notice as possible if schools will close.
Here is the document of the CDC's Considerations for School Closure.
