U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) spoke with Georgia’s School Superintendent Richard Woods along with other local education leaders across the state to hear about current plans to begin the upcoming school year.

The discussion included Dr. Mark Scott, Superintendent of Houston County Schools, Dr. Curtis Jones, Superintendent of Bibb County Schools and 2019 National Superintendent of the Year, and Kerensa Wing, Principal of Collins Hill High School in Gwinnett County and 2020 National Principal of the Year.

Both of Senator Perdue’s parents were public school teachers and his father later served as Superintendent of the Houston County School System. 

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“I so appreciate what you are doing in the state. Your leadership in a time of turmoil has really been profound,” said Senator Perdue. “I know how difficult this decision is for children, for parents, for teachers, as well as for grandparents who are often the primary caregiver when kids get home in the afternoons. At the federal level, we want to make sure there’s some logical thought put toward what you need to make this school year as successful as possible.”

“Senator Perdue, thank you for your interest and for your ongoing support,” said Superintendent Woods. “As we look at what’s going on in the state when it comes to public education, a lot has changed. Every district looks different. Most of the state is going to a hybrid model where parents have a choice to either send their kids to school or use virtual learning. The challenge we face in the rural districts is the broadband connectivity, so digital learning is more of a challenge there. Our goal at the Georgia Department of Education is to support whatever decisions our districts make.”

This week, Senator Perdue introduced the Safely Creating Healthy Opening Options Locally (SCHOOL) Act, a common-sense proposal to provide parents, teachers, and educators with the tools they need to begin to safely reopen schools across the country. 

The SCHOOL Act will help K-12 schools plan to safely reopen by establishing a grant program, sharing best practices, streamlining data transparency, and connecting schools with health care professionals for additional support.