Majority of districts going back to class
Roughly 70% of the state’s 371 public school districts plan to bring students back to class, at least part-time, Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Tuesday.
Fifteen districts — mostly rural — plan to return to in-person instruction in September, including six in Western Massachusetts, five on Cape Cod, and one in Sturbridge. Lincoln, Middleton and Nahant will also bring students back, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Thirty-three school districts, including Boston, have yet to say how they will approach instruction come fall. The rest have opted for fully remote learning, at least to start the year, Baker said.
“We’re encouraged that nearly three-quarters of the school districts are planning for at least a partial in-person learning experience for kids,” Baker said, speaking at the State House.
What ultimately happens in schools depends on public health data, DESE said.
The governor also said news on the fate of after-school sports programs would be released later this week.
This latest report on reopening plans indicates a shift to fully remote learning in many more schools than a first-round survey indicated in July when just 10% of districts were considering the option.
The administration has been pushing for at least a partial return of students to school buildings this fall for months, but schools have struggled with how to approach in-person instruction models and comply with COVID-19 safety guidelines requiring maskwearing and at least three feet between desks and limits on bus capacity of one student per seat.
Last week Baker unveiled a new “stoplight” color-coded map ranking communities based on the average number of new cases per 100,000 residents. For communities in green and yellow — considered lowest-risk — a full-time return or hybrid model is recommended. The 15 communities where students are returning all rated green or white — meaning the towns had fewer than 5 cases of coronavirus.
As of last Wednesday 300 of the 351 cities and towns reported an average case rate of less than 4 cases per 100,000 residents — the lowest risk category, which makes reopenings “hopeful,” Baker said.
“Students have been away from their classrooms and their teachers and peers since March,” Baker said. “Since then, we’ve learned a tremendous amount about COVID and have put together guidelines to allow for a productive and safe learning environment that adapts to the challenges that come with COVID-19.”
The state’s two largest teachers unions are pressing for a fully remote start to the school year and have vowed to keep educators out of buildings until the state can prove air quality and ventilation in school buildings is safe for students and teachers.