DESE Approves Somerville Waiver To Delay Full In-Person Learning

SOMERVILLE, MA — State education officials have approved a waiver request from the Somerville Public Schools to push back the return to full in-person learning. The district was one of 58 to receive exemptions, Boston.com reported.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's timeline calls for elementary schools to be in person five days a week by April 5. Thirty-two of the waiver requests will allow districts to begin with a hybrid model by that date before incrementally moving to full in-person classes in April or early May.

Somerville's plan will continue phasing groups of students into a hybrid model first, then have all Pre-K to grade 8 students back in person five days a week on April 28. The timeline was approved last week in a special School Committee Meeting of the Whole and sent to DESE.

Most high school students will remain remote until the district receives guidance from the state.

Click here for the plan sent to DESE.