IL Board Of Ed Recommends Schools Reopen In Fall, Require Masks

ACROSS ILLINOIS — Illinois State Board of Education officials are recommending schools fully reopen and proceed with in-class instruction in the fall, but said some students and schools may opt for online learning due to specific circumstances. The board met virtually on Wednesday and gave some guidance regarding its transition plan, which is expected to be released by the end of the month or early in July. The governor's office and the Illinois Department of Public Health must first sign off on the plan before it can be released, officials said.

That plan will include specifics on what school districts should be doing prior to the 2020-21 school year. Ultimately, how to proceed will be left in school districts' hands.

ISBE state superintendent Carmen Ayala said all students and teachers will be required to wear face masks during in-person instruction. State school board officials issued their guidance Wednesday under the assumption that Illinois will be entering Stage 4 of the governor's reopening plan on June 26.

In Stage 4, people are not allowed to gather in groups of more than 50, and social distancing is still required. Temperature checks, quarantine areas in the nurse's office and the need for additional personal protective equipment are among the standards that may need to be in place for schools to safely reopen.

In addition, buses should be able to safely operate in Stage 4. ISBE officials say school districts should be discussing how they plan to handle the upcoming school year.

• 50 Players, Limited Spectators Allowed In IHSA Stage 2

During Wednesday's meeting, representatives for several educational organizations let the ISBE know what they'd like to see in the school transition plan, with most saying a comprehensive plan with specific guidelines is needed so that all 852 school districts in the state are on the same page.

Robin Steans, executive director of Advance Illinois, said March's shutdown of schools caused a "major disruption" for all students. Students went from six hours of instruction during a typical school day to only two or three hours of instruction.

In particular, low-income students, students with disabilities and students who speak English as a second language felt the most profound impacts, she said.

Now, schools, teachers and students need to find a way to make up for lost time and lost quality of education. If not, it could have a long-term impact on students and their future employment opportunities.

"I don't think this is going to be mitigated in a short spurt," said Steans. She added that the state needs to step up with the funding to make up for learning time lost during the COVID-19 shutdown and to invest in the future of Illinois' children.

"The state will simply have to say this is what our kids need. In order to make sure they are not permanently haunted and scarred by this experience," Steans said. "I don't have the answers because we don't have the money."

She said that one day of additional funding can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but the money is needed to deal with the "once in a century" circumstances.