State Issues School Guidelines For In-Person Instruction This Summer

From The Center Square:

By Kevin Bessler

The state of Illinois is laying the groundwork to get students back in the classroom.

The State Board of Education and the Department of Public Health have issued guidelines for limited in-classroom instruction this summer.

Extensive social distancing, enhanced sanitation measures and other accommodations will be necessary, including limiting gatherings of 10 or less people, and the use of personal protective equipment.

Barry Reilly, the superintendent of schools for District 87 in Bloomington, said he will get together with other school officials and go over the guidelines as soon as possible.

“I don’ think we will be able to do summer school the way we have in the past,” Reilly said. “We might be able to bring in small groups of kids so I have a hunch that’s what we will look at and consider.”

Jackie Matthews, director of communications for the State Board of Education, said decisions regarding whether to conduct allowable activities during the reopening will remain at the discretion of local school authorities in consultation with local health departments.

“Schools now have the opportunity to bring students back for in-person summer school, but that is up to the school district,” Matthews said. “There’s no state requirement that schools provide summer programming and there is certainly no requirement that the programming has to happen in person.”

Some of the activities allowed during the Phase 3 reopening of schools are behind-the-wheel instruction, summer camps, summer meal distribution and school registration.

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