The New York State Education Department presented its school reopening framework guidance to the Board of Regents on Monday, the same day that Governor Andrew Cuomo shared a formula that would determine when schools could reopen for the 2020-21 school year. Governor Cuomo, who closed schools statewide in March and kept them closed through the end of last school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will announce whether schools may reopen during the first week of August.
During his press briefing, Governor Cuomo stated that schools will reopen for in-person instruction if that region is in Phase 4 and the daily infection rate of COVID-19 remains at 5% or lower over a 14-day average. The Capital Region had a 0.9% infection rate on Sunday.
The East Greenbush Central School District’s School Opening Task Force is reviewing the state guidance documents and will use them to develop options for a safe reopening of school in the fall.
“Creating a framework to reopen New York’s schools has been an undertaking of paramount effort, made even more difficult by the devastating impact the pandemic has had here in New York State,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “This framework and the guidance which will follow allows schools to plan for the upcoming school year under three different scenarios that aim to keep our children, educators and school personnel safe and encourages equitable access to high-quality services for all students.”
Additional guidance from the state education department is expected later this week.
District reopening plans are due to the state by July 31.
State Guidance Documents: