A Few Schools Reopen, But Remote Learning Could Go On For Years In U.S.

This post from NPR is another look at the current challenges facing schools as they try to reopen. Even in states where school reopening has been OK’ed, few schools have actually re-opened. A few districts have chosen to end the school year early, putting an end to their efforts with remote learning.

The American Federation of Teachers and the American Enterprise Institute have each put out detailed blueprints for reopening. These two plans have a lot in common as far as basic medical recommendations:

  • The need for rapid and repeated coronavirus testing of students and staff,
  • Contact tracing,
  • Stepped-up hygiene and cleaning, and
  • Reducing class sizes to allow for social distancing.

The article also talks about four tough problems that are on experts’ minds:

  • Running remote and in-person learning in parallel
  • Serving the neediest and traumatized kids
  • Privacy – how much data should be shared
  • Transportation and maintaining 6′ separation