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Coronavirus impacts on NC schools: Extended learning, closures, delays

Coronavirus is altering the way countless people live their daily lives. We’re giving you the latest on COVID-19’s effect on North Carolina’s students, teachers, and schools. Here are the schools and districts that have announced changes to learning due to the coronavirus. Click on the name to learn more. Have something to add? Email alindenberg@ednc.org.

Update, April 30: We will update this article as schools announce re-opening plans.

Updated on Tuesday, March 24 at 10:30 a.m.

K-12 schools

All public K-12 schools in North Carolina close to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Yesterday, Gov. Cooper announced that schools will be closed through May 15. Alex Granados has more on that here

Community colleges

On Tuesday, March 17, Peter Hans, president of the NC Community Colleges System, announced his office recommends that all colleges “pause face-to-face instruction through the end of the month, consistent with Gov. Roy Cooper’s Executive Order on March 14 that closed the public schools for students in North Carolina.” This includes online delivery in serving high school students in the Career and College Promise program, and stating that colleges should “wind down any remaining workforce classes that require face-to-face instruction.”

“Our priority is protecting the health of our students, faculty and staff,” Hans said. “We believe we can also help our students accomplish their educational goals through online instruction. Our colleges are resilient and accustomed to pivoting to meet emergent needs in their communities; this is no different.” You can read the full statement by the NC Community Colleges System Office here.

  • A-B Tech Community College: Until further notice, most A-B Tech classes, services, and operations have transitioned online. When our curriculum students return from spring break on Monday, March 30, all classes will be conducted online or virtually.
  • Alamance Community College: Beginning Monday, March 23, our students, staff, faculty, and administration will transition to college-wide virtual instruction.
  • Bladen Community College: Beginning Monday, March 23, Bladen Community College will transition to online instruction for all classes.
  • Brunswick Community College: Brunswick Community College will continue to offer online programming wherever possible. This will continue until otherwise notified.
  • Caldwell Community College: CCC&TI is working to convert as many spring semester courses as possible to an online format. Those classes will resume beginning March 23. 
  • Carteret Community College: Closing to students, faculty, staff, and the general public beginning March 16 at 3:00 p.m. through March 29.
  • Catawba Valley Community College: The college will remain open for individuals to access materials from CVCC campuses until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20, 2020.  Courses will resume on Monday, March 23, in an online or alternative format only. No face-to-face instruction will occur until further notice.
  • Central Piedmont Community College: College faculty and staff are working to move as many classes as possible to online delivery, with these online classes re-starting on March 23.
  • Cleveland Community College: Effective March 23, campus will be closed to students and the public until further notice. Effective March 30, classes will resume in an online format.
  • College of the Albemarle: Beginning Monday, March 23, College of The Albemarle classes will resume through online course delivery methods only.
  • Craven Community College: Craven Community College closed all physical campuses, facilities, and canceled activities effective Saturday, March 14, and will remain closed through Monday, March 30.
  • Edgecombe Community College: Online instruction resumes Monday, March 23. Limited face-to-face instruction in some programs resumes Monday, March 23, per instructor notification.
  • Forsyth Technical Community College: At this point, the status of the college remains open, with all classes on pause until the end of the expanded spring break. Classes will resume on Monday, March 30, 2020.
  • Gaston College: Gaston College will close all campuses to students and the public, effective Monday, March 23.
  • Halifax Community College: Effective March 23, all face-to-face instruction will be suspended until further notice. Laboratory-based and clinical classes will cease after Friday, March 20.
  • Isothermal Community College: Spring break — originally set for April 14-19 — will be moved to March 23-27. It is anticipated that most class instruction will be accomplished online after this initial closure period.
  • James Sprunt Community College: Effective March 23, 100% online courses will continue as scheduled. Most face-to-face classes will transition to an online format beginning March 23 until further notice.
  • Johnston Community College: Campus is closed to students through March 27. To the greatest extent possible, on-campus face-to-face and in-person instruction have been moved to an online presence.
  • Lenoir Community College: Courses that were already being delivered in an online format this semester (IN, LIN) will resume March 23. We will be transitioning a large portion of our curriculum seated courses (TR, WB, and HY Formats) to an online format in Moodle for the spring 2020 semester, effective March 30.
  • Martin Community College: At Martin Community College, most curriculum classes moved online March 17. Continuing education will continue as scheduled until further notice.
  • Mayland Community College: Through March 30, all seated instruction is suspended. Classes with a seated component will transition to online instruction through Moodle, and/or other venues during this time.
  • Nash Community College: Approximately 90% of NCC’s classes will continue via online delivery beginning Monday, March 23 until further notice.
  • Pamlico Community College: Beginning Wednesday, March 18, all seated curriculum courses will be transitioned to online-only instruction until further notice.
  • Pitt Community College: Traditional and hybrid classes will shift entirely to alternative learning platforms (internet or remote) and go live on March 23 and run until further notice. 
  • Richmond Community College: All compatible classroom courses will be transitioned to an online format that will be in effect by Monday, March 23.
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College: As a precautionary measure, the college will extend spring break for all curriculum students through March 22. The majority of face-to-face classes will be transitioned to online course delivery beginning on Monday, March 23.
  • Sampson Community College: The college has moved the Easter break originally scheduled for April 13-17 to March 23-27. All face-to-face curriculum courses will be suspended and transitioned to online instruction starting March 30.
  • South Piedmont Community College: Beginning Tuesday, March 24 all college facilities will be closed to the public. All services will operate virtually to ensure the health and wellness of everyone as well as to maintain the integrity of our educational program. 
  • Stanly Community College: All face-to-face instruction is suspended, effective Wednesday, March 18. This restriction is until further notice.
  • Surry Community College: SCC will begin teaching most classes through alternate delivery methods beginning Monday, March 23.
  • Tri-County Community College: Transitioning spring semester traditional and seat-based classes to online and alternate formats until further notice.
  • Vance-Granville Community College: Spring break will be extended through Tuesday, March 24. All classes are being moved to an online format and will begin Wednesday, March 25.
  • Wayne Community College: When Wayne Community College’s classes resume on Monday, March 23, most will be online, based in Moodle. 
  • Wilkes Community College: Effective March 23, Wilkes Community College is converting all courses to online with the exception of programs which are directly connected to meeting public health and public safety needs during the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Wilson Community College: Extending as much instruction as possible to online format, and then to resume instruction beginning Monday, March 23. Wilson Community College will continue that online approach until at least Friday, April 3, and will assess the situation once again.

Four-year institutions

  • UNC System: All UNC System schools will offer “alternative course delivery” indefinitely starting March 23. Some classes and labs will still meet in person. Large gatherings (100+) canceled. Campuses to remain open.
Alli Lindenberg

Alli Lindenberg is an executive fellow for EducationNC.