PPS pushes student, staff return date into February

The Pittsburgh Public Schools on Monday said it would push the targeted return date for staff and students into February as a spike in COVID-19 cases is expected following the holidays.

The district’s plan still dictates students would be phased in over a period of time based on need.

“We know coming out of the holiday break that there will be a COVID spike, and the spike will not manifest itself until around the 15th of January to the 30th of January,” Superintendent Anthony Hamlet said during a school board meeting. “We know the numbers will be extremely high at the date of the 30th.”

The district said it will aim for teachers to come back Feb. 1 and students to begin to return Feb. 8. That was a change from the district’s plan coming out of the holiday break that saw teachers returning Jan. 18 and students coming in on Jan. 27, the first day of the second semester.

Mr. Hamlet said the additional time gives school community members extra time to quarantine as the region experiences a spike in virus cases. However, it also means most city students will go at least 11 months without being in a classroom.

Students with disabilities and English language learners will be among those who are welcomed back first, but the district may also prioritize students who are struggling with grades and attendance.

The district’s plans apply to children in all grades even though the state only recommends in-person instruction for elementary students at schools in areas that have a “substantial” transmission rate of COVID-19 cases, such as Allegheny County.

The state departments of Health and Education recommended schools in counties with substantial COVID-19 spread — meaning they have an incidence rate of more than 100 in 100,000 residents or a positivity rate greater than 10% — implement fully remote instruction.

District officials said they want to give all students the opportunity to return in the second semester, but families will be able to keep their children in a remote model if they want.

The district plans to use a hybrid model in which children are in class twice a week and remote on the three other days.

Board member Pam Harbin, though, said the district might want to consider other options, such as allowing the students with the most need to attend classes in person four days a week or turning some school buildings into learning hubs where support staff and out-of-school-time partners assist students.

“I’m just throwing this out there because I feel like we’re still trying to do the same thing the same way and thinking that everybody is going to be back in school by the end of the year,” Ms. Harbin said. “I don’t know how confident we are in thinking that that’s actually going to happen for us this year.”