All PA Schools Should Open Classrooms, State Says In New Guidance

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania has amended its instructional model recommendations for schools, which now encourage getting students back to the classroom for at least some in-person learning even in areas where community spread of the coronavirus is substantial.

The new instructional model guidance, which is aligned with updates from the Centers for Disease Control, will go into effect on April 12.

The Pennsylvania departments of health and education are now recommending that K-12 public schools in counties with a moderate level of community transmission of COVID-19 consider returning students to full in-person instruction.

Counties with a substantial level of community transmission should consider blended or hybrid learning in addition to remote learning for K-12 students.

Previously, the state Department of Education had recommended a fully remote education model in counties that have a substantial risk of community spread.

The Department of Education uses community spread indicators to provide guidance for how schools should approach their instruction models. Counties are rated either low, moderate or substantial transmission risks.

Counties with low risk have had less than 10 cases per 100,000 residents over seven days or a less than 5 percent positivity rate over seven days. The moderate designation means the county has had anywhere from 10 to less than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents over seven days or a 5-10 percent positivity rate over seven days.

Those designated as having substantial risk have had more than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents over seven days or a percent positivity rate above 10 percent over seven days.

The CDC last month updated its recommendations for schools as they continue to navigate the pandemic, saying on March 19 that "evidence suggests that many K-12 schools that have strictly implemented prevention strategies have been able to safely open for in-person instruction and remain open."

Pennsylvania's Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega said the state's updated instructional model recommendations "create additional flexibilities for school leaders to make decisions at the local level consistent with best practices and with public health and safety at the forefront.”

Last week, Pennsylvania officials updated recommendations for social distancing in classrooms, saying that students can be at least 3 feet apart in classrooms. The previous requirement was 6 feet. Universal masking remains a requirement.

This comes as more and more teachers across the state are being vaccinated for the coronavirus.

More 112,500 teachers and school staff were recently vaccinated as part of a statewide initiative using the state's allocation of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Gov. Tom Wolf called the initiative a success, and an "important step to help more students and teachers safely return to classrooms across the state."

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