As school reopening continues across the country, districts face the challenge of returning to in-person instruction while maintaining safety and a positive public perception. New York City has provided lessons in how well-funded, carefully designed and rigorously implemented mitigation strategies can support the safe return of in-person education.

During the pandemic, many schools in NYC operated with blended instruction, where students and teachers could learn in school buildings part of the week and remotely at home the rest. This model allowed educators to work remotely while providing a high level of quality in-person instruction. In addition, it streamlined planning and operations by allowing district and school run before and after care programs to operate in a consistent manner.

After schools reopened, the District developed and deployed a comprehensive plan to clean and disinfect schools with CDC guidance. The District also ensured its schools have the appropriate infrastructure to support reopening, such as a reliable Internet connection and sufficient power and HVAC capacity. The District also prepared its school-based reopening teams to address issues as they arise.

During the reopening process, the district has engaged with stakeholders and community members, including parents/guardians of students, local health departments, students, and affiliated organizations (e.g., unions, alumni). This approach is necessary to identify important concerns and to ensure everyone’s voice is heard when developing reopening plans. For example, the district worked with educators and union representatives to complete workplace risk assessments and ensure that educators with preexisting conditions can serve in classrooms during in-person instruction. The district also sought out input from experts, such as ventilation and lead testing, to help develop the best reopening strategy.