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South Carolina to move to 5 days a week school April 26

LANDRUM—By Monday, April 26, all South Carolina Schools will offer in person school 5 days a week. 

The South Carolina Department of Education released an update this week with plans to transition to full face to face instruction for schools. 

Currently in South Carolina, there are 76 districts already offering full face-to-face instruction for all students and 3 districts, including Greenville County, who are offering hybrid in-person instruction. 

Charter schools across the state are not included in the new instruction as their decisions are made at the school level and not the district level. 

The South Carolina General Assembly passed a joint resolution this week (S.704) that requires every district to offer the 5-day in person classroom instruction. The resolution also requires each district to offer 5-day in person instruction next school year. 

There is a provision that prohibits a teacher from delivering instruction to students simultaneously in-person and virtually unless it is reasonable and necessary due to extreme and unavoidable circumstances. In those circumstances, additional compensation to the teacher must be provided. 

School districts may still offer virtual instruction to those families that have chosen it for this school year. 

“Every family must be given the option of sending their child to school 5 days a week face to face and the science shows that this can be done safely in every community,” said South Carolina State Superintendent of Education Molly M. Spearman. “I am thankful for the educators who have been making this option a reality for many throughout this school year and look forward to the Governor signing this bill into law, ensuring every school will be fully open for in-person learning now and into the future.” 

District One Schools in Landrum and Campobello have already been offering 5-days in-person learning. 

Polk County Schools in North Carolina has been operating on hybrid in-person instruction. All elementary schools have been going 5 days a week this year, with hybrid situations at the middle and high school. Currently, the middle and high schools are going to school in-person 4 days a week, with Wednesdays being virtual learning days. At one point this year, the high school was operating on a 2-day a week schedule, with half of students in-person on Mondays and Thursdays and the other half of students going Tuesdays and Fridays. After spring break, the high school began going in-person 4 days per week. Polk County also offers all virtual options for families who choose.