Orange County Public Schools votes to offer face-to-face instruction for all students beginning Friday

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County School Board on Monday voted 6-2 to offer face-to-face instruction for all grades starting Friday.

The decision was made during an five-hour special school board meeting and goes against the recommendation of staggered starts by the district’s Medical Advisory Committee. Dozens of parents spoke during the meeting.

READ: Orange County Public Schools approves mask policy, says distance learning is new default for students not enrolled in any option

Members wanted face-to-face instruction to roll out in phases, with voluntary pre-K and elementary students beginning this Friday then middle school and high school students beginning face-to-face instruction on Aug. 31.

Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins said she’s been in contact with officials at the Florida Department of Education who “said they looked at the recommendation from the medical advisory committee and indicated that we would not be in breach of the emergency order.”

READ: How Orange County Public Schools will conduct emergency drills amid pandemic

However, if the district delayed face-to-face instruction for older students beyond Aug. 31, Jenkins said, then “every indication we’ve gotten is that the penalty would be district-wide if we fail to comply with the emergency order.”

Failure to comply would have resulted in a $270 million penalty.

Since July 10, the Florida Department of Health recorded an increase of close to 29,000 cases among Florida children. More than 350 of those children were hospitalized and three have died. The state has also reported 20 more cases of that since July 10.

READ: 9-year-old private school student in Winter Garden tests positive for COVID-19

Teachers told the school board on Monday that they’re still waiting for personal protective equipment for Friday.

Cox Media Group