BY: ALEXANDRA SVOKOS, ABC NEWS
(NEW YORK) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced elementary schools will be reopening in-person on Monday, Dec. 7, in a reversal from a previous decision.
De Blasio said Sunday testing would be done weekly and testing consent forms will be required for students to return. Additionally, district 75 schools that cater to students with disabilities will reopen beginning Thursday, Dec. 10.
The mayor added that the city would be moving to five-day in-person learning as much as possible, moving away from a hybrid model.
The nation’s largest school district shut its doors in mid-November as novel coronavirus rates crept upward in New York City, with a positivity rate above 3% over a seven-day rolling average, a standard the city had set at which schools would close.
It was a move that frustrated many parents, teachers and students — and even prompted questions from public health experts.
The reopening of schools is focusing on younger grades, de Blasio said, as studies have shown that coronavirus impacts younger children less harshly. There is no word yet on reopenings for middle and high schools.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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