OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
STATE HOUSE 0 BOSTON, MA 02133
(617) 725-4000

 

CHARLES D. BAKER KARYN E. POLITO
GOVERNOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

ORDER EXTENDING THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF ALL PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

9 Order No. 28

WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, 1, Charles D. Baker, Governor of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, acting pursuant to the powers provided by Chapter 639 of the Acts of 1950
and Section 2A of Chapter 17 of the General Laws, declared that there now exists in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts a state of emergency due to the outbreak of the 2019 novel
Coronavirus 

WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the outbreak was characterized as a
pandemic by the World Health Organization;

WHEREAS, in response to the pandemic, on March 15, 2020, issued an Order
requiring all public and private elementary and secondary (K-12) schools in the Commonwealth
to suspend normal, in-person instruction at the end of the school day on March 16, 2020, and not
to re-open for normal operations before April 6, 2020;

WHEREAS, on March 25, 2020, I issued an Order extending the closure of all public
and private elementary and secondary (K-12) schools for normal, in~person instruction and
providing that K-12 schools would not be permitted to re-open for normal operations before May
4, 2020;

WHEREAS, the number of con?rmed cases of continues to rise dramatically
in the Commonwealth. As of April 20, 2020, the Department of Public Health had reported
39,643 cases of including 1,809 deaths, with all counties across the Commonwealth
affected;

WHEREAS, sections 7, 8, and 8A of Chapter 639 of the Acts of 1950 authorize the
Governor, during the effective period of a declared emergency, to exercise any and all authority
over persons and property necessary or expedient for meeting a state of emergency, including but

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not limited to authority over vocational or other educational facilities supported in whole or in
part by public funds, and over assemblages to protect the health and safety of persons;

NOW, THEREFORE, I hereby Order the following:

All public and private elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth,
excepting residential schools for special needs students, shall remain closed for normal,
in?person instruction and shall not re?open for normal operations prior to June 29, 2020. This
directive Supersedes the provision of the March 25, 2020 Order establishing an earlier date for

re-opening.

Public and private elementary and secondary (K-12) schools may not begin in?person
summer learning programs before June 29, 2020, unless speci?cally granted permission by the
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, acting in consultation with the Department
of Public Health.

As provided in the March 15 and March 25, 2020 Orders, public schools are directed to
continue efforts to maintain the operation of programs that provide take-out or delivery food
services and other essential, non?educational "services to students and families during the period
in which this Order is in effect. Public schools are additionally directed to continue collaborative
efforts to provide student access to alternative learning opportunities.

The Department of Public Health and the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education, along with any board of health or authorized agent pursuant to G.L. c. 111, 30, shall
enforce this Order. In addition, I hereby direct the Commissioner of Public Health to act under
the authority of G.L. c. 17, 2A to supplement the terms of this Order in the event she
determines additional measures are required to ensure that the terms of this Order are observed.
Violation of the terms of this Order may result in penalties pursuant to Section 8 of Chapter 639
of the Acts of 1950.

This Order is effective immediately and shall remain in effect until rescinded or further
extended.

Given in Boston at {f 12m this 2lst day
of April, two thousand and twenty

CHARLES D. BAKER
GOVERNOR
Commonwealth of Massachusetts