FRANKFORT, Ky. — Fayette County Public Schools will start the year with virtual learning, following a similar decision by Jefferson County Public Schools earlier this week.

The decision, made at a special school board meeting Thursday afternoon, comes as Kentucky records another near-record high in coronavirus cases with 611 reported in the state’s daily update.

Gov. Andy Beshear (D) says it makes sense that schools in the most dense parts of Kentucky would go the virtual route, but he wouldn’t be surprised if other districts made one of two moves. 

“Either a move to start with distance learning or to move the start of the school year at least a couple weeks in August to see if we can get control of the numbers right now,” Beshear said.

Kentucky has seen both the average daily number of cases and the testing positivity rate rise in recent weeks, along with a rise in cases among young children.

“If we don’t see a stabilization, at least, by early next week, I’m likely to make a recommendation that if you are early, early August, that you push back a little bit and give us time to see if we can get it under control,” Beshear said.

Beshear says he wants to send his own kids to in-person classes soon, but it all depends on what the virus does.

“The real challenge that our school boards and superintendents have is we’ve got an escalation, but we’ve taken some steps, so will we see a stabilization? Will we see a potential decline? And we’re all waiting to see that,” Beshear said.

And he’s still going to push for masks and social distancing in school whenever it’s best for students to physically return to class.