Reopening

Education news, analysis, and opinion about efforts to reopen school buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Photograph of a young girl reading, wearing headphones and working at her desk at home with laptop near by.
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Federal Feds' First Survey of Pandemic Learning Finds Nearly Half of Students Taught Remotely
The baseline survey also shows huge variation in how much daily "live" instruction 4th and 8th graders were getting in January.
Stephen Sawchuk & Sarah D. Sparks, March 24, 2021
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5 min read
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, talks during a news conference in front of the Richard R. Green High School of Teaching on Sept. 8, 2020.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, talks during a news conference in front of New York City's Richard R. Green High School of Teaching on Sept. 8, 2020.
Mark Lennihan/AP
Federal Teachers' Union Leader Raises Concerns About CDC's Eased Distancing Guidelines for Schools
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten is "not convinced" evidence supports the new COVID-19 mitigation recommendation.
Evie Blad, March 23, 2021
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5 min read
Students learn in-person and virtually in Courtney Choura's geometry class at Seton LaSalle Catholic High School on March 3, 2021, in the Mt. Lebanon suburb of Pittsburgh.
Students are spaced 6 feet apart for in-person learning, while their classmates participate virtually, in a geometry class last month at Seton LaSalle Catholic High School in the Mt. Lebanon suburb of Pittsburgh.
Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
Federal CDC Eases Social Distancing Guidelines Seen as a Hurdle to School Reopening
The CDC says three feet of distance between students who are wearing masks is acceptable in most cases.
Evie Blad, March 19, 2021
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7 min read
Carla Constanza, a nurse with Medford Public Schools, performs a COVID-19 swab test on 5th grader Zachary Maynard at McGlynn Middle School in Medford, Mass., on March 15, 2021.
Carla Constanza, a nurse with Medford Public Schools, performs a COVID-19 swab test on 5th grader Zachary Maynard at McGlynn Middle School in Medford, Mass., on March 15, 2021.
Nathan Klima for Education Week
School & District Management Explainer Testing for COVID-19 at School: Frequently Asked Questions
School-based testing for COVID-19 isn't easy. Here are some key questions and answers to consider.
Catherine Gewertz, March 16, 2021
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12 min read
Students sit socially distanced in their classroom at c Academy in Lakeview on March 1, 2021.
Students sit socially distanced in their class earlier this month at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy in Chicago's Lakeview community.
Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP
School & District Management CDC to Reconsider 6-Foot Student Spacing Guidelines in Response to New Studies
Growing U.S. and international evidence suggests schools could use 3-foot rather than 6-foot spacing in classrooms without risking COVID-19 outbreaks.
Mark Lieberman & Sarah D. Sparks, March 16, 2021
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4 min read
House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., greets Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on June 6, 2018 at the conclusion of a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.'
Rep. Virginia Foxx, the ranking Republican on the House education committee, at a hearing in 2018.<br/>
Carolyn Kaster/AP
Federal Q&A Why an Influential Member of Congress Wants a National Investigation Into School Closures
Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., wants the Biden administration to "put children over unions and science over politics."
Andrew Ujifusa, March 15, 2021
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8 min read
Hybrid Options IMG4
E+/Getty
School & District Management What's the Least Risky Hybrid Model to Bring Students Back to School?
There’s more than one way to bring students back to class, but research is not clear on which model can keep students and staff safest.
Sarah D. Sparks, March 11, 2021
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6 min read
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., praises his Democratic Caucus at a news conference just after the Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, March 6, 2021.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., praises his Democratic Caucus at a news conference just after the Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, March 6, 2021.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Education Funding Reopening Plans, Private Schools, Special Education: Senate Puts Stamp on COVID-19 Bill
The revised COVID-19 relief bill provides more than $120 billion in direct K-12 public school aid and could reach President Biden quickly.
Andrew Ujifusa, March 8, 2021
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5 min read
Katie Ramirez, left, watches as her mother, Claudia Campos, swabs the mouth of her sister, Hailey, for a COVID-19 test at a testing site in Los Angeles on Dec. 9, 2020.
Katie Ramirez, left, watches as her mother, Claudia Campos, swabs the mouth of her sister, Hailey, for a COVID-19 test at a testing site in Los Angeles.
Jae C. Hong/AP
School & District Management The Key to School-Based COVID-19 Testing: Cooperation of Parents and Communities
As schools launch broad testing to track cases of COVID-19, the success of their efforts relies on addressing the concerns of all concerned.
Evie Blad, March 5, 2021
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7 min read
Elementary 1 teacher Melissa Vozar sits outside of Suder Elementary in Chicago to teach a virtual class on Jan. 11, 2021. The Chicago Teachers Union said that its members voted to defy an order to return to the classroom before they are vaccinated against the coronavirus, setting up a showdown with district officials who have said such a move would amount to an illegal strike.
Elementary 1 teacher Melissa Vozar sits outside of Suder Elementary in Chicago to teach a virtual class on Jan. 11, 2021. The Chicago Teachers Union said that its members voted to defy an order to return to the classroom before they are vaccinated against the coronavirus, setting up a showdown with district officials who have said such a move would amount to an illegal strike.
Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP
School & District Management Interactive A Year of COVID-19: What It Looked Like for Schools
This timeline offers a look at how a full year of living and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded.
Education Week Staff, March 4, 2021
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13 min read
Assistant Principal Janette Van Gelderen, left, welcomes students at Newhall Elementary in Santa Clarita, Calif on Feb. 25, 2021. California's public schools could get $6.6 billion from the state Legislature if they return to in-person instruction by the end of March, according to a new agreement announced Monday, March 1, 2021, between Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state's legislative leaders.
Assistant Principal Janette Van Gelderen, left, welcomes students at Newhall Elementary in Santa Clarita, Calif., last month. California's public schools could get $6.6 billion from the state if they return to in-person instruction by the end of March.
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
School & District Management From Our Research Center Most Principals, District Leaders Predict Their Schools Will Be Fully In-Person This Fall
EdWeek Research Center surveys track the growing trend to get more students back in school buildings as soon as possible.
Holly Kurtz, March 4, 2021
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5 min read
Vaccine vials and a syringe on a flat surface
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty<br/>
Families & the Community Opinion Vaccinating Teachers Is Just One Part of the Reopening Puzzle
Winning parents' trust back is every bit as important in bringing every student back into the classroom.
Ruth R. Faden, Matthew A. Crane, Annette Anderson & Megan Collins , March 1, 2021
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5 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
School & District Management Opinion New Resource Tracks School System Reopening
The Return to Learn Tracker identifies the current instructional model of all regular public school districts with three or more schools.
Rick Hess, February 25, 2021
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5 min read
President Joe Biden answers questions during a televised town hall event at Pabst Theater in Milwaukee on Feb. 16, 2021.
President Joe Biden answers questions during a televised town hall event in Milwaukee earlier this month.
Evan Vucci/AP
Federal President Biden Is Walking a 'Careful Tightrope' When It Comes to School Reopenings
CDC guidance and confusion over his rhetoric turn up the pressure, and could overshadow progress in schools and nuanced public opinion.
Andrew Ujifusa, February 19, 2021
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9 min read
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