Lexington Schools Already Planned To Bring Students Back By April

LEXINGTON, MA — A new Massachusetts Department of Secondary and Elementary Education plan was announced on Tuesday that could require elementary students to return to in-person learning full time — but Lexington school officials are unfazed.

According to Lexington Schools Superintendent Julie Hackett, that was already the district's plan. A few weeks ago the district told families that it intends on bringing the youngest students back to the classroom by April.

Education department Commissioner Jeff Riley said he plans to ask the state education board to amend regulations to give him the authority to determine when the hybrid and remote learning models no longer count for learning hours. It would all be part of a plan to bring students back in-person by the spring, using a phased approach, starting with the youngest students.

Hackett said the announcement doesn't change much for Lexington schools:

"The Commissioner's announcement really doesn't affect us much. Right now, I think there's a lot of political grandstanding and people want to take credit for what is already happening in many school systems.

Several weeks ago, we announced our intentions to bring students back to full-time, in-person schooling by April, starting with our youngest learners. We are working with our school community to make that happen."

The district has organized a Community Input Team for Full Return which is made up of parents, teachers and administrators across the district. The group meets every two weeks. Lexington’s COVID-19 positivity rates have decreased from a high of 29.1 cases per 100,000 to 11.1 per 100,000, as of Feb. 10.