Worcester Will Seek Waiver To Avoid April Full School Reopening

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester Public Schools will seek a waiver from the state to avoid having to return all elementary school students to buildings full-time in April, one of the largest districts in the state to announce such plans.

Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty said Thursday Superintendent Maureen Binienda will seek a waiver from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education because of social distancing requirements. Petty, who is also a School Committee member, said during a news conference Thursday the schools do not have room to meet minimum distances of 3 and 6 feet.

"Hopefully by the end of April we can have a lot of the teachers vaccinated," Petty said.

Last Friday, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education board gave state education Commissioner Jeff Riley the power force districts to bring students back full-time. He's set a deadline of April 5 for elementary students and April 28 for middle schoolers. A high school date hasn't been set yet.

Teacher unions across the state have balked at Riley's plans, with leaders asking for teachers to be prioritized for vaccine doses ahead of the opening dates. Educators only became eligible to vaccinated on Thursday, and appointments have been scarce for other groups that have been eligible, including seniors and people with two or more special health conditions.

Gov. Charlie Baker Thursday criticized teachers for wanting to get vaccine priority, highlighting vulnerable groups like the elderly. Other groups of workers, including first responders like police, firefighters and hospital workers, were among the very first in the state to get vaccines.