CT Schools Reopening: More Questions, More Answers

CONNECTICUT — As much as teachers and school administrators hoped the original guidelines crafted by the state would cover every possible question, contingency and nuance of the reopening of schools, that's not happening.

Last week, the Connecticut State Department of Education released the second volume of answers to frequently asked questions. On July 17, the state published its first FAQ, which just scratched the surface of local districts' questions and concerns.

At the top of the list of frequently asked questions — and in the forefront of just about every social media debate for the past four months — are concerns about face masks. Do students really, really have to wear masks inside the school buildings, administrators have been asking the state, and the state took this opportunity once again to say, "Yes, yes they do."

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There may be some limited exceptions for medical reasons, and mask breaks are allowed, but it's up to the schools to police the matter.

The state punted the questions of mask-wearing and students with medical issues who may be exempt from wearing masks back to the districts. Schools must "engage even more diligent oversight" when determining how to handle students with "verifiable medical exceptions to the mask requirement" is all the new guidance schools get on that topic.

What about the type and quality of face masks? Much was made of a study that dragged the use of gaiters as face coverings, until other reports emerged contending that those far more fashionable accessories were just fine. The jury is still out on that one, as far as the CSDE is concerned. According to the new FAQ, it and the Department of Public Health "are discussing the development of mask/face covering guidance that will include information on the quality of face coverings." So, stay tuned for Schools Reopening FAQ Volume 3.

It's a question districts have politely danced around for years, but the coronavirus has had a way of making us focus: Who's the boss, the superintendent or the board of education? When it comes to the development of reopening plans, and the district's decision to provide full in-person or hybrid learning, the superintendent is driving the chariot, according to the CSDE. The superintendents should make the operational decisions "in consultation with their communities and their local Boards... after taking into consideration their unique community and facilities," but these are their decisions to make.

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One question parents, schools, towns and even bus companies have been asking ever since the state made it clear there would be something "special" about the start of the 2020-21 school year is, who's paying for all this? At this stage, the districts have started drilling down, and want to know if the federal Coronavirus Relief Funds can be applied to extended leave time, Family Medical Leave Act compensation, and all of that disinfectant. The state is not committing to any of that yet, according to the FAQ, only saying to expect "guidance" about the eligible uses of the federal funds shortly.

About those crowded buses: "Transportation is a challenge, and certainly risk is reduced as the density on buses decreases," the new FAQ states. "Needless to say, decisions will depend on budget constraints, whether school schedules can adapt to flexibility needed for transportation, and bus/driver availability." The FAQ indicates that some additional funding may be available from the state to "alleviate bus crowding in dense areas."

In low-spread districts schools are reopening full-time, but parents still have the option to keep their children home to learn remotely. Many schools are asking those parents to commit to keeping those students home for the first full trimester, for planning purposes. That makes sense, but is it legal? The state suggests the answer may be a hyperlocal one, and that the districts bring the matter up with their own legal counsel.

What about the great pandemic education Catch-22: Who looks after the students at home learning on a hybrid schedule when their caregiver parent is at work teaching on a hybrid schedule? The number one issue impacting teachers' ability to return to work is the availability of non-toddler daycare, according to the FAQ. The CSDE said the Office of Early Childhood and United Way of Connecticut have established an enhanced child care referral protocol that will ensure teachers and board of education staff have priority access to finding available child care in their area.

Amazingly, these are just a few of the plain vanilla questions the FAQ — charter schools, special needs students, and school athletics all have their own issues which the CSDE addresses in the document.