Why and when do Virginia schools close due to COVID-19?

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) — Virginia schools are closing due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

Some canceling classes altogether and others turning to virtual learning, it's the laws that are impacting those decisions made by superintendents.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, "There is no strict definition of an outbreak or specific number of cases that need to occur to be considered an outbreak. An outbreak is the occurrence of more cases of disease than expected."

Amherst County Schools Superintendent Rob Arnold says that's what led them to close.

"Quite frankly it was a disaster," Arnold said.

For other school districts like Roanoke Co. Public Schools, only one school has seen a direct impact of COVID-19 cases so far this year, according to Superintendent Ken Nicely.

"We're off to a great start," Nicely said.

RELATED: Rapid testing offers alternative to quarantines and shutdowns in some schools

Roanoke County was able to push classes to virtual.

House Bill 1790 and Senate Bill 1132 only allows school divisions to employ remote learning under certain circumstances and only gives them 10 days of it.

Amherst County had to close because they already used 6 days.

"Imagine, we're only sitting here in September right now and so I imagine they will be used again late down the road," Arnold said.

Senate Bill 1303 says schools must offer students in the classroom learning 180 days or 990 hours of in-person instruction.

"We think having students in person we are doing our best with things like physical distancing and obviously having all students in the classrooms at the same time there are limits to what we can do," Nicely said.

SEE ALSO: Can kids get 'long COVID' after coronavirus infections?

Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant who spearheaded Senate Bill 1303 says it isn't meant to overlap with House bill 1790 and Senate Bill 1132.

She wants students in the classrooms as often as possible.

"With my bill, what they have to do they have to do and we want them to stay open as much as they can but they have to do what they have to do so if they have to give instruction to a classroom for 14 days because that classroom is quarantined and that classroom is virtual they are empowered to make that decision," Dunnavant said.

Superintendents Arnold and Nicely agree with Senate Bill 1303.

They want children back in the classroom but say the bill has restraints.

And restraints is why Sen. Scott Surovell voted for the bill.

"I agreed with that back at that time and this is before the Delta variant kicked up and so I supported the bill when it went through as it was rewritten by everybody but as I said I'm always open to revisiting things based on changed circumstances," Surovell said.

SEE ALSO: What is the mu variant of the coronavirus?

The Dept. of Education says if a division exceeds 10 unscheduled remote learning days due to COVID-19-related closures, the division will need approval from the Superintendent of Public Instruction to apply those days towards the 180-day or 990-hour requirement.

Click the links here if you want to read more about the bills: House Bill 1790, Senate Bill 1303, and Senate Bill 1132.