As Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 cases continue to rise, there has been more discussion regarding the need to return to full remote learning in certain areas of the state. Pennsylvania’s health secretary recently declared that there are no plans for a statewide shutdown of schools similar to last spring.
However, several months ago the Departments of Health and Education provided recommendations to Pre-K to 12 schools when making decisions related to the instructional models used during the 2020-21 school year. Updated weekly, the dashboard, also known as the Community Transmission Table, identifies each county’s COVID-19 transmission level as low, moderate, or substantial. The Excel table gives the following recommendations for schools in determining instructional models:
- Low: Full in-person model or blended learning model
- Moderate: Blended learning model or full remote learning model
- Substantial: full remote learning model
As of November 16, there are currently 59 Pennsylvania counties showing substantial COVID-19 growth, five with moderate growth, and only three counties with low growth.
School leaders are encouraged to use this table to assist in determining the mode of instruction for their students. It should be noted, however, that the table offers recommendations, which are not mandates, and the overall decision remains with the local school boards and leaders in determining what is best for their students and staff.
KEYTA believes that the health and safety of educators, school staff, students and their families need to be made a top priority, but we have no intention of making broad declarations regarding how a school entity should handle their current or future instructional model. Only school leaders can determine how their students, staff, and community will be impacted by the instruction model they have in place or may transition to.
