New York City Schools Will Begin Phased Reopening Dec. 7

NEW YORK, NY — Public schools in New York City will begin a phased reopening on Dec. 7, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday.

All 3-K, Pre-K and grades K-5 will return to in-person learning on Dec. 7, David Cruz of Gothamist reported on Twitter. All District 75 schools will return on Dec. 10, according to the report.

"Studies consistently show that younger kids are having less of a negative experience," de Blasio said in a statement. "And there's less concern about the spread when it comes to younger kids."

New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said having children back in the classrooms is "one of the single most important things we can do for their wellbeing."

Schools in New York City have been closed since Nov. 19, when the city's coronavirus testing positivity rate rose above 3 percent. The 3 percent threshold to close schools will no longer apply, according to the New York Times.

Reopening dates for middle schools and high schools in the city have yet to be announced, according to a report from the New York Daily News.

"We will work to get to that day, but we're not there yet," de Blasio said.