HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Education are updating guidance for schools in counties with substantial spread of COVID-19.
During a media briefing Thursday, Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega announced schools in those counties can now consider bringing elementary students back for hybrid learning, “Beginning in the second semester, which begins typically around January 25, and as local conditions permit, schools are going to be encouraged to allow for elementary school students to return back to campus, along with other targeted populations.”
Ortega says those ‘targeted populations’ include children with special needs and English learners, and they could fall beyond elementary grade levels, “That would be your middle, junior, and secondary schools as well. Again, we continue to work closely with the Department of Health, monitoring research that comes out nationally as we figure out what might be some of the next steps as continue to think about the path forward.”
However, full remote learning remains recommended for most middle and high school students in substantial counties. Until Thursday’s announcement, in had been recommended for all schools in substantial counties to consider learning virtually online.
As students return to the classroom, Ortega says social distancing measures and other precautions still need to be in place, “All Pre-K-12 schools should continue to have strategies in place that limit the number of people in classrooms, that limit the number of people in learning spaces, including teachers and students, and have rules governing interactions between students and teachers as well.”
Ortega also reiterated these recommendations are not mandatory, and it’s up to local school districts to decide what’s best for the safety of students and teachers. Many districts are meeting in-person in substantial spread counties.
