Alaskan school districts may choose different ways to start school year, governor says

"We're hoping it's in person. But again, we're working with each individual school district to see what's gonna work best for them and keep people safe," Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy told Just the News.

By Alex Nitzberg and Carrie Sheffield

Published: July 16, 2020 4:34pm

Updated: July 23, 2020 4:59pm

People across the country are considering how to begin the next school year this fall while weighing the public health concerns from the coronavirus.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said during an interview with Just the News that his state's diverse school districts may approach the issue differently, and decisions will depend on how the pandemic progresses.

"We're hoping it's in person. But again, we're working with each individual school district to see what's gonna work best for them and keep people safe," he said.

The governor noted the state includes "54 school districts spread out over a state two and a half times the size of Texas."

Idaho Gov. Brad Little during an interview pointed out that "even within a school district some schools are different. Some of the newest schools have the biggest problems for hygiene and distancing. Some of the oldest schools are the best. So we're looking at it as a distinct by district and even a school by school district" he said.

According to Johns Hopkins University there have been more than 3.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. and more than 138,000 deaths.