Philly Schools To Start Hybrid Learning Next Week

PHILADELPHIA — After several delays, some students will be back inside School District of Philadelphia buildings for hybrid earning starting next week.

The city, district, and union officials Monday announced PreK through second-grade students will begin in-person learning on a rolling schedule beginning Monday, March 8.

The announcement comes on the heels of mediation between the district and union through a city-appointed neutral third-party.

The School District of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Federation of Teachers agreed on a process that allows the union to individually review plans for all schools and start bringing students and staff back for in-person instruction.

In an effort to begin bringing students back for in-person instruction sooner rather than waiting for all the schools to be individually reviewed and approved, the district and union agreed to review the schools in batches.

The first 53 schools have been approved to resume in-person instruction using the district’s hybrid model on Monday, March 8 for PreK to second-grade students who chose hybrid learning during the selection process last fall.

Teachers at those 53 schools will report to work Wednesday. The list of these first 53 schools is available on the District’s website by clicking the "Schools Open for Hybrid Learning" button.

A cohort of new schools will come back each week until all PreK to second-grade classes have returned.

The goal is to have the return dates for all PreK to second-grade hybrid learning students announced by March 22.

Each Monday, an announcement will be made regarding which schools will open the following week, teachers will return to those buildings on Wednesday, and students will return the following Monday.

To prepare for in-person learning, parents and families are encouraged to view the District’s Safe Return to School and Clean and Healthy Schools videos, and visit philasd.org/aes to learn more about the many layers of safety the District has in place.

The School District of Philadelphia has put in place multiple layers of safety including:

• mandatory mask wearing or other facial covering, which will be provided to students and staff;
• rapid testing for students and staff;
• new classroom setups and signage for social distancing;
• touchless hand sanitizer stations;
• plexiglass partitions;
• maximum occupancy signs;
• and enhanced cleaning protocols and a COVID-19 testing program in place for students and staff.

The School District and PFT will continue to work through the agreed upon review process to approve all remaining schools for in-person learning in order to welcome back hybrid learning students in grades three through 12 in the coming weeks. Timing for the return of hybrid learning students in grades three through 12 will be communicated as additional schools are approved