Schools to Re-open in September 2020

Governor Murphy and the Commissioner of the Department of Education (“DOE”), Dr. Lamont Repollet, announced today that all schools will be permitted to physically open for all or part of the day for the 2020 – 2021 school year provided that New Jersey’s health metrics regarding COVID-19 remain low. To read the entirety of the plan click on the title: “The Road Back Restart and Recovery Plan for Education” (https://www.nj.gov/education/reopening/NJDOETheRoadBack.pdf). Below is a broad overview of the baseline standards for districts in the plan.

The plan provides that students’ return to their physical school buildings will be governed by the minimum standards in the DOE’s plan. Each local school district will create a Restart Committee to coordinate the local reopening plan. Each district also will create a school-based Pandemic Response Team to allow for quick, coordinated decision-making. Both of these committees should work together and with community officials, including the local health department.

Social distancing is the guiding principle in this plan. Classrooms will be redesigned, if possible and, if not, capacity of the classrooms will be modified. The plan allows the school districts to rearrange school days/schedules and permits a hybrid of virtual and in-person education. Each district utilizing a hybrid plan must ensure, prior to the start of the school year, that every student has internet and an electronic device to access this virtual instruction.

Every school district must have a plan in place to return to 100% virtual instruction if the health data drives another closure of the physical school buildings.

All school personnel and visitors are required to wear face coverings unless unable to do so for health reasons. All students will be strongly encouraged to wear face coverings unless unable to do so for health reasons.

School custodial staff will conduct daily building sanitation. School buses are to be cleaned daily. Students need to wear face coverings on the bus.

We will continue to monitor the school reopening plans and update this information with new developments.

With over 25 years’ combined experience, the members of the Price, Meese, Shulman & D’Arminio, P.C. EDUCATION LAW GROUP, Karen Edler, Jackie Esposito, and Michelle Krone, offer virtual consultations to assist families with any and all educational needs. Please contact us at 201-391-3737 or specialed@pricemeese.com.