NJ Issues Rules For In-Person Education In Schools Amid COVID-19

NEW JERSEY – New Jersey officials on Thursday released the state's list of rules for districts to follow if they have any hope of having in-person instruction amid the coronavirus crisis this fall.

Indeed, the set of rules – such as mask-wearing, setting up barriers between desks and ensuring proper ventilation – could prove to be too daunting for districts and compel them to go fully remote (see list of rules below).

New Jersey also has outlined a plan for how each district should manage coronavirus cases within their school buildings. Read more: Here's How The Coronavirus Could Close Any NJ School

And, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Wednesday that in-person instruction may begin immediately, but districts can also begin the school year via remote-only instruction if they cannot adequately meet health and safety protocols. Read more: NJ In-Person School Instruction To Move Forward; Districts Can Go Remote

Murphy has insisted that he favors having in-person instruction as an option, even as New Jersey's coronavirus numbers have crept up in recent weeks. On Thursday, the governor announced 699 new cases – the highest daily case total in weeks – and eight more deaths. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, School Reopen Updates: What You Need To Know

The state's set of rules says districts who need to delay in-person instruction will be required to submit information to the state Department of Education describing the health and safety standards they can't meet, how they will address their issues in a timely fashion and a proposed timeline for reopening physical school spaces for in-person instruction.

“Our top priority is the health and safety of our students and educators, and we must ensure that schools reopen their doors only when it is safe for them to do so,” said Murphy. “Since releasing our guidance on reopening, we have continued to have frequent discussions with stakeholders and educators across the state."

Murphy said many districts have said meeting critical health and safety criteria by the first day of school is proving to be a challenge.

The following districts already have announced they plan to start the school year remote:

• Bayonne
• Elizabeth
• Freehold Township
• Jersey City
• New Brunswick
• Plainfield
• Toms River
• Willingboro

While the state continues to believe there is no substitute for being in the classroom, Murphy said, "allowing districts to delay the implementation of in-person instruction will give them the time and flexibility they need to ensure buildings are ready and welcoming when they do open."

Districts are required to certify to the DOE that they can meet the health and safety protocols before resuming in-person instruction. Private school districts will also be required to submit this certification.

Even if school buildings are open for in-person instruction on the first day of the 2020-2021 school year, districts must provide a remote learning option for parents or guardians who request it for their children.

Here are the protocols that must be met for the districts to provide in-person instruction:

Classrooms, Testing, and Therapy Rooms

Does your district reopening plan:

• Ensure that students are seated at least 6 feet apart within the classroom?
• If district answers “no” to the above, implement social distancing modifications to the greatest extent practicable, including the use of physical barriers between desks and turning desks to face the same direction or having students sit on only one side of the table, spaced apart?
• Ensure that other instructional and non-instructional rooms comply with social distancing standards to the greatest extent practicable?
• Provide for limited use of shared objects when possible and clean such objects between uses?
• Ensure that indoor facilities have adequate ventilation by: maintaining operational heating and ventilation systems; ensuring that recirculated air has a fresh air component; opening windows if air-conditioning is not provided; and maintaining filters for air-conditioning units according to manufacturer recommendations?
• Ensure that hand sanitizing stations are maintained with alcohol-based hand sanitizers in each classroom, at entrances and exits of buildings, and near lunchrooms and bathrooms?
• Ensure that existing hand-washing stations with soap, water, and alcohol-based hand sanitizers?
• Include provisions that facilitate student hand washing at regular intervals (or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer if washing with soap and water is not possible), such as designating certain times for students to wash hands (such as before eating, after using the bathroom, and after blowing their nose/coughing/sneezing), use of signage to encourage hand-washing, or other provisions?

Transportation

Does your district reopening plan:

• Require students to wear face coverings if the student can do so, while providing accommodations as appropriate for young students or students with disabilities?
• Maintain social distancing practices on buses to the maximum extent practicable?
• Adopt best practices for cleaning and disinfecting school buses and other transport vehicles?

Student Flow, Entry, Exit, and Common Areas

Does your district reopening plan:

• Incorporate a policy which, includes the process and location, for student and staff health screenings?
• Such process will include screening upon arrival for symptoms and history of exposure, visual check of students for symptoms and/or confirmation with families that students are free of COVID-19 symptoms, documentation of when signs/symptoms are observed, and any necessary accommodations for students with disabilities.
• Ensure that there are physical guides or markings to help ensure that staff and students remain at least 6 feet apart in lines to enter or exit the building and at other times, and require utilization of face coverings when physical distancing (6 feet) cannot be maintained for individuals waiting to enter or exit a building?

Screening, PPE, and Response to Students and Staff Presenting Symptoms

Does your district reopening plan:

• Require students, staff and visitors to wear face coverings unless doing so would inhibit the individual’s health, the individual is under two years of age, or other exceptions outlined in
• Provide necessary accommodations for young students or students with disabilities?
• Incorporate policy and procedures for symptomatic students and staff that include: written protocols detailing the district’s response to students or staff that test positive for COVID-19; immediate notification of local health officials, staff and families in the event of a positive test; isolation of symptomatic individuals; methods to assist in contact tracing; continuous monitoring of symptoms; and readmittance policies?
• Encourage parents to be alert for signs of illness in their children and keep them home when they are sick?

Contact Tracing

• Incorporate a contact tracing policy in consultation with the local health department and its school nurses?

Facilities Cleaning Practices

Does your district reopening plan:

• Develop a procedure manual to establish schedules for increased cleaning and disinfection; targeted areas to be cleaned, including frequently touched surfaces and objects and frequent sanitization of bathrooms; and methods and materials to be used?

Meals

Does your district reopening plan:

• Stagger use of cafeteria or group dining areas, and clean and disinfect them between groups?
• Provide for the discontinuation of family, self-service, and buffet meal service in cafeterias or group dining areas?
• If cafeterias or group dining areas are used, ensure students are spaced at least 6 feet apart?
• Require individuals to wash their hands with soap after removing their gloves or after directly handling used food service items?

Recess/Physical Education

Does your district reopening plan:

• Stagger recess or other outdoor activities?
• Utilize cones, flags, tape, or other signs to maintain 6 feet of space between groups participating in recess or other outdoor activities?
• Require students to wash hands with soap immediately after outdoor playtime?
• Stagger the use of playground equipment and establish frequent disinfecting protocols?
• Close, or stagger the use of and frequently disinfect, locker rooms?
• Minimize sharing of equipment and clean and disinfect equipment between each use?
• Designate specific areas for each class during recess to avoid cohort mixing?

Field Trips, Extra-curricular Activities & Use of Facilities Outside of School Hours

• Maintain social distancing and hygiene practices during extra-curricular activities?
• Require any external community organizations that use district facilities to follow district procedure and health and safety protocols?

Here's what else districts should know:

Reopening planning

Does your district reopening plan:

• Implement a schedule for the 2020-2021 school year that includes in-person instruction in some capacity and provides public school facilities for at least 180 days?
• Incorporate a policy regarding full-time remote learning services?
• Ensure that each student is provided at least four hours of instructional contact time per school day, or one continuous session of two and one-half hours for kindergarten students (such instructional time may be achieved through in-person, synchronous remote, or asynchronous remote activities)?
• Prepare for a potential shift back to entirely remote learning models by implementing measures to strengthen remote learning capabilities?
• Conduct high school athletics in accordance with protocol issued by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association?
• Establish or designate in each school a diverse Pandemic Response Team to oversee each school’s implementation of the district’s reopening plan, particularly health and safety measures?
• If establishing a new Pandemic Response Team, that team includes, if applicable: school principal or lead person; teachers representing each grade band served by the school; child study team member; school counselor or mental health expert; subject area chairperson/director; school nurse; school safety personnel; members of the school safety team; custodian; and parents?

Digital Divide

Does your district reopening plan:

• Include a plan outlining steps to ensure that all students who are expected to engage in remote instruction have access to the requisite educational technology (including hardware and connectivity), whether that technology is issued by the school district or provided by the student’s family?
• That plan must include: a documented process for identifying students in need of educational technology; identify steps that the district will take to provide needed technology to students; prioritize district-issued technology to those students who may be unable to fully participate in remote instruction; and include monitoring to prevent lapses in student access to remote instruction as district or family circumstances evolve.

General Health and Safety

Does your district reopening plan:

• Provide reasonable accommodations for students and staff identified as having a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, including older adults and individuals with disabilities or serious underlying medical conditions?