Reopening schools
Education Minnesota supports a safe and equitable return to in-person learning for the 2021-22 school year, which can best be accomplished by following the guidance of state and federal health officials for restricting the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 in schools.
Several education and health organizations have developed plans and guidelines around these issues.
Education Minnesota resources
Our staff has released the following documents related to educator rights and return to learning recommendations:
- 2021-22 CDC/MDH recommendations [Revised 8-19-21]
- Vaccines for educators FAQ [Updated 9-16-21]
- Classroom safety checklist (PDF, 2 pgs. 791KB)
- Student safety checklist (PDF, 2 pgs., 115KB)
- Saliva testing questions for local leaders
- Sample Medical Provider Letter
- Reopening checklist (PDF, 2 pgs., 78KB)
- Refusal to Work Due to Safety Concerns (PDF, 1 pg., 190KB)
- School Building Reopening and Educator Rights flow chart (PDF, 1pg., 185 KB)
- Education Minnesota Governing Board statement
- Education Minnesota statement on schools refusing to provide remote work options (PDF, 2 pgs., 167KB)
- Work accommodations flow chart (PDF, 1 pg., 125KB)
State of Minnesota
The Minnesota Departments of Education and Health have joined Gov. Tim Walz in issuing recommendations that call for a localized, data-centered approach to a return to learning this fall.
The Department of Labor and Industry has released an FAQ on workers' compensation for employees who contract COVID-19.
AFT
The American Federation of Teachers released a detailed, science-based document titled “Reopening School Buildings Safely,” which features five core pillars based on the science as well as educator and healthcare expertise—not on politics or wishful thinking.
To gradually reopen, the document states districts need to:
- Maintain physical distancing until the number of new cases declines for at least 14 consecutive days. Reducing the number of new cases is a prerequisite for transitioning to reopening plans on a community-by-community basis.
- Put in place the infrastructure and resources to test, trace and isolate new cases. Transitioning from community-focused physical distancing and stay-in-place orders to case-specific interventions requires ramping up the capacity to test, trace and isolate each new case.
- Deploy the public health tools that prevent the virus’ spread and align them with education strategies that meet the needs of students.
- Involve workers, unions, parents and communities in all planning. Each workplace and community faces unique challenges related to COVID-19. To ensure that reopening plans address those challenges, broad worker and community involvement is necessary. They must be engaged, educated and empowered.
- Invest in recovery: Do not abandon America’s communities or forfeit America’s future. These interventions will require more—not less—investment in public health and in our schools, universities, hospitals, and local and state governments. Strengthening communities should be a priority in the recovery.
AFT has also developed workplace checklists for reopening in partnership with the National Institutes for Health.
NEA
The National Education Association has created a guide to intentionally planning for school success during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
All Hands on Deck: Initial Guidance Regarding Reopening School Buildings is rooted in the following four basic principles:
- Health Expertise: Health and safety of all as advised by science is fundamental.
- Educator Voice: Educators’ voices and expertise are front and center as part of decision-making and implementation.
- Access to Protection: Educators and students need consistently funded access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and the ability to disinfect surfaces regularly.
- Leading with Equity: Achieving racial and social justice is imperative and not an expendable aspiration.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The CDC has prepared a variety of resources to aid in decisions to reopen schools, child care facilities and summer programs, as well as resources to help once those buildings are open.
Other resources