7-17-20 The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released supplemental information to its Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance that includes protocols for districts and schools to follow in responding to COVID-19 scenarios in school, on the bus, or in community settings during the academic year. You can view the full report by clicking here and reviewing the most recent documents on the webpage.

Commissioner Riley stated that the new guidance answers the following questions:

  • What should a district do if there is a symptomatic individual — at home, on the bus, or at school?
  • What should a district do if someone in the school community tests positive for COVID-19 — be it a student, teacher, staff member, or bus driver, or one of their household members or other close contacts?
  • Who should get tested for COVID-19 and when?
  • In what circumstances would someone need to quarantine or isolate themselves?
  • What should school districts do to monitor COVID-19 spread in their communities?

6-25-20 The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released its Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance. You can view the full report by clicking here.

In introducing the guidance, DESE Commissioner Jeffrey Riley wrote, ” Our goal for the fall is to safely bring back as many students as possible to in-person school settings, to maximize learning and address our students’ holistic needs. With the information provided in this memo, districts and schools should begin planning for a fall return that includes multiple possibilities, with a focus first and foremost on getting our students back into school buildings.“

Source: Reopening Massachusetts, 5/18/20