Reykdal: We are Returning to School Buildings Next Year
Today, the Washington State Department of Health launched their COVID-19 health and safety guidance for K–12 schools in summer 2021 and the 2021–22 school year. Below is State Superintendent Chris Reykdal’s statement on plans for school in fall 2021.
OLYMPIA — May 13, 2021 — Our students will be learning from their school buildings full-time in the upcoming school year. Students may choose to enroll in a remote learning program, but school districts may not offer hybrid or remote learning to the exclusion of full-time, in-person learning for any student who seeks that option.
Most students are more successful in a comprehensive, in-person learning environment surrounded by their peers and caring adults. Extended time in remote and hybrid learning has had negative impacts on many of our students’ mental and behavioral health, as well as their engagement with and success in school.
We also know our schools can safely serve their students with more widespread vaccinations and by following the mandatory health and safety mitigation measures, including face coverings, hand hygiene, ventilation, cleaning and disinfecting, and processes for responding to and reporting cases of COVID-19.
Today, the state Department of Health (DOH) released health and safety guidance for K–12 schools for summer 2021 and the 2021–22 school year. The guidance makes clear that school districts must continue following the non-pharmaceutical mitigation measures above, but there is new flexibility regarding physical distancing in schools.
In the guidance, DOH recommends 3 feet of physical distancing in classrooms and 6 feet in other school spaces to the greatest extent possible. This is not a mandate, and the flexibility ensures schools can offer a full-time in-person experience to every student and family who wants one.
As school districts plan for large-scale reopening of their buildings this fall, I strongly encourage eligible students, their families, and school staff to get vaccinated before returning to school buildings. Though the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was just approved for youth ages 12 and above, the vaccine will not be mandatory for eligible students or for staff this school year. Immunization requirements, which are set by the State Board of Health, take time to review, approve, and implement — and we are far away from that happening.
Widespread vaccinations, combined with the mandatory non-pharmaceutical mitigation measures, further reduces the risk of virus transmission within the school community.
I am looking forward to the opportunity for all students who want to learn in-person full-time next year, to return to our buildings full-time. We have outstanding public schools and passionate educators; our road to a full recovery continues!
