Gov. Pritzker OKs In-Person Summer Classes With Restrictions

ILLINOIS — Schools across Illinois can reopen this summer for limited in-person classes, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced via executive order Thursday. The governor ordered schools closed in March as health officials scrambled to control a coronavirus pandemic that has now killed more than 5,700 Illinoisans.

The order allows both public and private schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, to hold summer classes with 10 or few people, as long as they comply with state guidelines.

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According to the order, schools must encourage hand-washing and social distancing, discourage contact and the sharing of items between individuals and regularly clean high-touch surfaces. Students and teachers will also be required to wear face masks — provided by the school "to the extent possible" — if they are medically able to do so.

The order also suspends a provision of the state child labor law requiring applications for employment certificates to be submitted in person.

State education officials stressed Thursday that despite the resumption of face-to-face instruction, "this is not the same as a return to pre-pandemic operations."

Decisions on whether to allow in-person classes will remain at the discretion of local school boards and superintendents, officials said, and "medically fragile" or immunocompromised students or staff should talk to their doctors before returning to school.

For schools that reopen, officials have provided guidance for the use of shared spaces, such as hallways, water fountains, restrooms and cafeterias. For example, administrators should limit the number of students or staff in hallways at any given time, provide for one-way foot traffic, place social distancing markers, suspend the use of lockers and consider having teachers rather than students rotate between classrooms, officials said. In addition, schools should promote the use of water bottles rather than water fountains, schedule restroom breaks or escort individuals to the restroom to maintain social distancing and add barriers between sinks and urinals.

At lunchtime, meals should be individually plated rather than served from a buffet or salad bar, officials said, and servers should wear gloves and thoroughly disinfect areas where students eat.

"Individuals who show any signs or symptoms of illness should stay home," officials stressed, adding that individuals who develop symptoms at school should be immediately separated from other students.

"Schools hosting Phase 3 allowable activities should designate a safe area to quarantine any individuals who are experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms," officials said.

Chicago Public Schools has already announced it will continue remote learning through at least June 18, and it's not clear how many schools will reopen for in-person summer classes even now that they are allowed to do so. The governor has not yet announced whether in-person classes will be able to resume in the fall.