Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is assailing plans by some local districts to offer in-person instruction only a few days a week.
She says schools must be “fully operational” even amid the pandemic and anything less fails students and taxpayers.
DeVos made the comments during a call with governors as the Trump administration launched an all-out effort to get schools and colleges to reopen.
Audio of the call was obtained by The Associated Press.
President Donald Trump has insisted that schools and colleges return to in-person instruction as soon as possible.
He says on Twitter that Democrats want to keep schools closed “for political reasons, not for health reasons.”