Should Pennsylvania Schools Reopen This Fall? Take Our Survey

UPDATE Here are the survey results:

Should PA Schools Reopen? Here's What Nearly 11K Residents Think

Original story:

PENNSYLVANIA — Should they stay (home) or should they go?

It's the question on most parents' minds as the start of school approaches for Pennsylvania students.

Students have not been in the classroom since mid-March, when the onset of the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to shutter their buildings and shift to online learning.

The governor has announced that Pennsylvania elementary and secondary schools in the state's yellow and green phases can resume in-person instruction, provided their district creates a safety plan approved by their school board. All counties in Pennsylvania are currently in the green phase.

The state released preliminary guidance on the school safety plans in June. Local health departments have followed up with guidance tailored for their communities.

As districts create their safety plans, they are considering a multitude of obstacles to overcome, including how to provide for adequate social distancing, how long and often students should wear masks, how to safely transport students, what to do in the event a student or teacher gets infected, and so on.

The approach educators will take to restart learning will vary from district to district. Some are planning to offer families the option for in-person or online learning. Others plan to opt for a hybrid model, where students spend some time in the classroom and other days learn virtually.

The debate over when and how to send children back to the classroom is raging throughout the country, as cases in many states are on the upswing. Pennsylvania has so far reported more than 96,600 cases and 6,931 deaths.

How are you feeling about Pennsylvania schools reopening in the fall? Take the survey below to share your thoughts.

The survey will be open through 10 a.m. Wednesday. We will publish the results soon after.

Note: This survey is not a scientific poll, with random sampling and margins of error, but can be considered a broad indicator of public sentiment.

Would you like to share your thoughts directly with a Patch reporter? Contact Kara.Seymour@Patch.com