Education

The guidance asks school districts to look at two things to determine if they should be holding in-person classes: the statewide positivity percentage and the prevalence of the coronavirus in their community.

Nearly one-third of the district’s 8,710 students are already enrolled in the Virtual Learning Academy or signed up this week to opt out of in-person instruction.

Superintendent Chris Bentzel will propose students return to the classroom soon after Labor Day, with the exception of those enrolled in the Virtual Learning Academy.

Beshear also issued a new executive order on evictions that dedicates $15 million of federal coronavirus relief funds to create a Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund.

President Bob Jackson said he had not met one student or faculty member at the beginning of the semester who wasn't excited to be back on campus.

The decision to shift to virtual classes followed the news that a student had tested positive for COVID-12.

Parents and people living in communities with universities have a right to know the level of infection, the governor said. He said the information would also help health departments discern campus clusters from community spread.

Beshear announced 376 new cases of the virus, including 54 under the age of 18. The share of Kentuckians testing positive for the coronavirus in the last seven days is 5.8%.

Rep. Lynn Bechler, R-Marion, asked if it is safe to say that 99 percent of the population won't die from COVID-19. Health Commissioner Steven Stack said that's true, but it's important to recognize exactly how many deaths 1% would represent, noting that is 10 times greater than the fatality rate for the flu.

The number of new cases broke the old record of 979, set on July 19, the peak of a surge that sent Kentucky to a much higher level of daily new cases.

Students will have online instruction starting Aug. 27. Following the governor's recommendation, in-person classes at the schools won't begin until at least Sept. 28.

Previously, the Christian County Board of Education voted to have students return to classrooms on Aug. 27, while also giving parents the option to enroll their children in a virtual program.