The state Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is preparing to roll out its formal guidance around returning to school next Monday afternoon (June 22).
The guidance, being developed with input from various K-12 education stakeholder groups and the state Department of Health Services (DHS), will not be binding on districts. Rather, it is intended to provide district and school leaders with a menu of things they should take into consideration as they plan and implement a safe, efficient, and equitable return to school. The guidance is likely to advise school leaders work closely with local health departments and officials to to address risk factors to control the spread of COVID-19.
While the DPI expects schools to reopen in the fall, it also recognizes that as COVID-19 related health conditions change, school districts will likely need to plan for and provide access to remote learning throughout the year to some students in addition to the regular school operation. The DPI also anticipates the roughly 80-page plan may be updated as updated health and safety guidance becomes available.
The guidance is expected to offer school leaders a range of suggestions, including instructional models and scheduling options for school districts to enable social distancing and reduce the likelihood of viral transmission. The document will also likely include specific guidance on pupil transportation; on cafeterias and school food service; and on isolating or quarantining students of staff who show symptoms of COVID-19 or are diagnosed with the virus. It will also include a toolkit for school nurses and a decision tree document prepared with considerable input from the DHS.
Among the key considerations for school districts will be the cost and feasibility of following the health guidance for various instructional models. School facilities in many districts may not lend themselves easily to smaller class sizes that physical distancing requires.
Adhering to social distancing measures will likely necessitate additional teachers and staff; additional bus routes, buses and drivers; additional maintenance staff and enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures; and increased costs for supplies such as masks, gloves and thermometers. Given budgetary limitations and uncertainty about state school aid and revenue limits, school leaders will face unprecedented challenges in formulating back to school plans and contingency planning should a COVID-19 infection outbreak occur.
In a related development, State Assembly Education Committee chairman, Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R-Fond du Lac), has indicated he plans to schedule an informational public hearing at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, regarding the DPI reopening guidance. The committee plans to to take testimony from invited speakers only. We will provide more information on the hearing as it becomes available.
