By Christen Smith
(The Center Square) – Many of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts will reconvene classes later this month, and just how each will mitigate the spread of COVID-19 remains varied and complex, officials said Wednesday.
Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said last week the state advised districts to follow guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding masking, social distancing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus.
The CDC recommends masking for those who are unvaccinated while a newer advisory suggests even inoculated Americans should wear masks indoors in areas where spread of the delta variant is high.
“We are all trying to make sure that our students get as much time safely in school as possible, and clearly a way of doing that is adopting the CDC’s guidance on masking,” Beam said.
Wayne McCullough, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, said adherence to these policies “varies widely throughout the state.”
“This is a very difficult time for schools as they reopen,” he told The Center Square on Wednesday. “The school boards, as well as administrators, are discussing what the best protocols are to have in place and are doing their best to understand and follow CDC guidelines, which are for most the part saying masks should be worn on school buses and in vehicles to and from school.”
PASBO represents about 3,000 school business officials and other administrative school staff across the state. McCullough said considerations for each of them look very different.
“It varies widely and is based on the local district and what’s happening there,” he said. “And it will probably evolve based on changing conditions.”
Beam confirmed that there’s no plan to enact a universal masking mandate again and that schools are referred to CDC recommendations when implementing plans for the new year, including decisions about masking.
“We want to make sure folks are really focused on getting vaccinated,” she said during a news conference Thursday.
About 63.2% of residents 18 and older are fully vaccinated, the Department of Health said Wednesday. The state ranks 5th nationwide for total doses administered, though it’s struggling to reach its 70% statewide goal.
“While we continue to explore the use of masking, that’s just a tool in the tool box, and we want to make sure we focus on the vaccination effort right now to protect us into the fall,” Beam said.
The majority of schools will also offer full-time in-person instruction after a year and a half of hybrid and virtual models that left some students struggling academically.
The state passed a bill earlier this year that allows students to repeat a grade, based on parental discretion, to make up for time lost during the pandemic. Federal aid appropriated through the American Rescue Plan and the state budget has also funded summer schools and other programs designed to address the widespread learning loss.
McCullough said some schools also used the one-time funds to upgrade infrastructure, like HVAC systems, to better comply with the CDC’s recommendations for mitigating the spread of the virus.
“It’s one time money which will end, so while most of the school districts are spending it on learning loss now and updating facilities now, it’s important that they aren’t using it for ongoing expenses like paying the electricity bill,” he said.
