Expect face coverings, COVID-19 testing if school resumes

Want the kids to go back to school this fall? Better start wearing that face mask, practicing social distancing and doing everything necessary to keep COVID-19 cases low, state officials say.

“If we ever needed a motivation to wear a face covering, to keep social distancing, to avoid large gatherings, this is the motivation so all our children, all our grandchildren, our neighbors' children can go to school and get more in-person instruction than they otherwise would have if the conditions on the ground don't warrant it,” said Gov. John Carney during a July 14 press conference.

On July 15, the state released a 34-page document providing guidance to school districts and charter schools for when they reopen. The final decision on whether school will physically open for the 2020-21 school year will be made by Carney and the Division of Public Health. He said he expects the outcome by early August.

Carney said the only way schools will open at the end of August or early September is if the threat of COVID-19 is low for both students and staff. Although statistics continue to show COVID-19 does not affect young people the same as older people, Carney said protections must be in place for those who are immunocompromised or elderly.

“Increasingly, we are concerned about teachers and staff, so our focus is going to be opening our schools in a way that's safe,” he said.

Testing all staff and educators for COVID-19 at the beginning of the school year is a priority, Carney said, and officials are working out the logistics of how it will be done. More information is expected to be released in about a week, he said.

“We want to test as many [as possible] if not all the educators and staff to start the school year off, and then have periodic testing in a way that measures any existence of the virus and spread thereafter,” he said.

Dr. Karyl Rattay, Division of Public Health director, said all adults and students in fourth grade and older will be required to wear face masks. Younger children are encouraged to wear face coverings, she said.

In order to safely social distance, Rattay said, students should be 6 feet apart, but there is some science that supports 3 feet apart as long as students are wearing face coverings.

Rattay said schools should also utilize outside spaces. “It's a good time to start thinking about using event tents and outdoor space that may be available to our districts and schools to get children outside as much as possible during the school day,” she said.

Department of Education Secretary Susan Bunting said working groups have developed three scenarios for reopening schools – opening with minimal community spread of COVID-19, minimal-to-moderate spread, and significant spread. By early August, she said, school officials will decide under which scenario school will start.

In all three scenarios, she said, students, staff and educators will be required to wear face coverings, social distance, and take precautions on school buses.

“We're hoping for as much in-person instruction as we can possibly provide, because we know that's the richest way to go, but we also know whether it's in-person or remote learning, there are pros and cons to the situation,” Bunting said.

Recommendations on reopening schools will be sent to school districts for review. In Cape Henlopen School District, Superintendent Bob Fulton said parents will be notified by Friday, Aug. 7, about Cape's reopening plan.

Financial assistance

The CARES Act – the federal government's stimulus program amid the COVID-19 pandemic – provided Delaware $39 million to be allocated to school districts and charter schools. The money must go to COVID-related costs such as providing more technology or feeding children, Bunting said.

“Districts can make their own decisions based on the needs of their particular student body, and their staff needs as well,” she said.

Another $12 million is available in state funds, Bunting said.

Of the $12 million, she said $4.5 million will go directly to districts and charter schools for instructional support, mental health support, and professional learning. Another $3.5 million will go to increase connectivity, broadband and content filtering for digital classrooms, and $3 million will expand opportunity funding for 41 more elementary schools. Remaining funds will go to other support programs and training, she said.

Bunting also said districts will be able to repurpose some funds that were not used because of the COVID outbreak. In one case, she said, a district took funds that had been earmarked for a summer program which was canceled and redirected that money toward COVID-19-related challenges. “But that's just one tiny example of how funding that is currently available might need to be redirected for certain purposes,” she said.

Bunting emphasized that DOE is a support agency that exists to facilitate working school districts as they make reopening decisions. She said DOE has been in constant contact with district superintendents and school leaders to help plan for reopening schools.

“Our top priority is to make sure we get the best educational experience for our students. We want to make sure we prioritize the health and safety, but we also want to maintain the goal of providing high-quality, equitable educational opportunities for all of Delaware's learners,” Bunting said.

Back-to-school survey

In a recent Department of Education survey sent to students, staff and families, half of the students who responded said they are extremely or very comfortable with going back to school. Of the remaining 20,000 respondents, 44 percent of teachers, 40 percent of families and 39 percent of school leaders agreed.

When asked if they support a hybrid learning option, 34 percent of students approved, along with 36 percent of teachers, 49 percent of school leaders, and 30 percent of families.

Of those who want a remote option, 36 percent were students, 44 percent were teachers, 39 percent were families, and 50 percent were school leaders.

Returning to School report

A state report for school districts and charter schools says it offers those entities guidance as they individually map out their reopenings and create their own site-based plans. However, some health and safety directives are mandatory.

The report acknowledges that Delaware has minimal-to-moderate spread of COVID-19 based on current numbers, but that could change during the course of the school year if school reopens on schedule. A series of directives is based on July 2020 public health data, but can be updated if conditions change, the report reads.

The following are mandatory:

• Face coverings for staff and children in fourth grade and older. Face coverings are recommended for children in prekindergarten to third grade.

• Hand-washing and sanitizing must be done after each activity.

• Social distancing at least 3 feet with face coverings in classrooms, hallways, and on buses. Students should be kept in stable groups throughout the day with little to no mixing of classes, the report states.

• Desks must be arranged so they face the same direction.

• Cancel field trips.

• Students and staff must stay home if they have COVID-19 or symptoms.

The report recommends that districts use outdoor spaces as much as possible, ventilate school buildings, and open windows if possible. Hallway traffic should flow in one direction, if possible, and staff and students should complete a health assessment every morning before leaving for school.

Over the next few months, Bunting said, policy changes may be made to allow flexibility in seat time, attendance, standardized testing and accountability.

For a complete view of the 34-page document, go to https://www.doe.k12.de.us/cms/lib/DE01922744/Centricity/Domain/599/ddoe_returningtoschool_guidance_final.pdf.