New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said elementary schools will reopen despite the fact that the city crossed the mayor’s 3% test positivity threshold earlier this month.
“Reopening our @NYCSchools buildings is paramount to recovering from #COVID19,” de Blasio said in a Sunday tweet, announcing that he would open 3-K, pre-K, and K-5 schools beginning Dec. 7.
Reopening our @NYCSchools buildings is paramount to recovering from #COVID19. Today we can announce that we plan to reopen buildings for:
• 3-K, Pre-K and grades K-5 on Monday, December 7
• District 75 schools at all grade levels on Thursday, December 10
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) November 29, 2020
District 75 schools, designed for children with disabilities who require intensive support such as those “on the autism spectrum and children with serious cognitive delays,” will open on Dec. 10, according to the New York Times.
The mayor’s plan involves a major revamp of how schools are managed during the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic continues to spread across the country at a record-breaking rate, infecting more than 4 million people in the United States in November alone. To date, more than 13 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the U.S., according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
One of the most notable changes is that de Blasio is abandoning the hybrid educational model of having students attend classes in-person for part of the week and virtually on other days. Students attending schools that have reopened will go to class five days a week. Schools will also undergo weekly testing upon their return to school, according to a tweet from the mayor.
Finally, as we reopen, wherever possible we will move to 5 day a week in-person learning. We want our kids in the classroom for as much time as possible. Our families do, too. We’ll work to make it happen.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) November 29, 2020
“Upon reopening, weekly #COVID19 testing will be in effect and testing consent forms will be required for our students to return,” de Blasio tweeted. “Finally, as we reopen, wherever possible we will move to 5 day a week in-person learning. We want our kids in the classroom for as much time as possible. Our families do, too. We’ll work to make it happen.”
De Blasio faced widespread criticism earlier this month after New York City’s daily positivity rate reached 3%, triggering the closure of public schools after less than two months. At the time, he said the closures would be temporary, and he has yet to determine when middle schools and high schools will reopen. De Blasio said that the reopenings will not be based on a positivity threshold, according to the New York Times.
New York has 1,800 schools serving over 1 million students. The majority of the students in the city’s public schools are from low-income families and are black or Latino.
Schools across the country have reported that virtual learning has resulted in dramatic spikes in failing grades and truancy. In Fairfax County, Virginia, the percentage of failing grades had nearly doubled — hitting underserved communities and students with disabilities most severely.
The Economic Policy Institute emphasized that following the pandemic, a comprehensive plan to address educational disparities will be vital to getting children back on track, calling for increased funding and resources for public schools so that they can rebuild the educational system to focus on “nurturing the whole child … ensuring that all children have access to the conditions and resources that enhance learning and development.”
