School Closures

A target date of October 17 is the goal for resuming school in Lee County after Hurricane Ian forced the school year to a halt over a week ago, but it isn't clear just yet if the county can meet that date.

School districts that closed for at least a day because of Hurricane Ian will have flexibility related to reporting enrollment, according to the Florida Department of Education. Districts periodically report enrollment numbers and other information to the state that can affect their funding.

The approach of Tropical Storm Elsa has prompted school district cancellations in Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota Counties.

The Florida Department of Health reported 754 new cases of COVID-19, Monday, bringing the state’s total number of confirmed cases to 5,489. The death toll…