Governor Cuomo confirmed last week that New York City public schools can reopen for in-person instruction. COVID-19 infections must remain low (i.e., average rate of positive cases below 5% over a two-week period), and it is the NYC Department of Education's (DOE) responsibility to finalize its reopening plan and iron out the details for reopening safely.
A current draft of the DOE's reopening plan is available here. Important new information about the DOE's health and safety protocols for the upcoming school year, including criteria to keep schools open, and what happens if someone gets sick, is available to you on the DOE's website here.
As part of the city's effort to reopen schools safely, NYC Mayor De Blasio is requiring an average rate below 3%, which is stricter than the 5% rate required by Governor Cuomo. The DOE is expected to publicly post its plans for testing teachers and students after the school year begins.
As we noted in our July 27 and August 7 blog posts, it is imperative that students with disabilities be able to transition back to in-person learning safely as soon as possible, given the toll the pandemic is having on children with special needs and their parents.
We will keep you posted regarding further updates.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, or you would like to discuss your specific circumstances, please do not hesitate to contact our office.