Governor Laura Kelly signed two bipartisan bills into law in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first extends unemployment eligibility for workers who started to file unemployment insurance claims on or after January 1, 2020. These workers would be eligible for a maximum of 26 weeks of benefits.
The second expands education waiver authority during disaster emergencies. Right now, students are required to attend at least 1,116 school hours per school year. The bill allows local school boards a waiver for this requirement under a state of disaster declaration, with the understanding that they will utilize continuous learning for their students. The bill also directs school districts to continue to pay all hourly employees during a disaster shutdown.
Kansas education commissioner Randy Watson says state standardized tests will be canceled this year because of concerns about the spread of coronavirus. Watson said yesterday that the tests are off unless something changes “dramatically” in Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s executive order temporarily closing all school buildings. Her order includes exceptions for groups of 10 people or less.
