Department of Education: Back To School Pledge
Health and Safety Always Come First
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies will be supplied to all schools, and the New York City Department of Education (DOE) will have a 30-day supply on hand at all times – with a hotline for principals to call for immediate resupply for their schools
- There will be a full-time nurse in every public school building
- Any school building or room found to have inadequate ventilation will not be used by students or staff
- Students and staff will practice physical distancing in all school buildings
- Students will remain in pods for as much of the day as possible
- Students and staff will wear face coverings throughout the school day; if they do not have them, they will be provided for free
- We will place hand sanitizer in every classroom
- City-run testing sites will prioritize free COVID testing and expedited results for school staff; free testing is also available to all students, families, and New Yorkers citywide
- We are encouraging all DOE employees to be tested monthly
- NYC Department of Health and Test + Trace Corps will immediately investigate confirmed cases to prevent spread of the virus
- Schools will communicate with all students and families when there are confirmed cases in schools
- When necessary, classrooms or school buildings will temporarily close to maintain safety of school communities and prevent spread of the virus
- School buildings will close if the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests in New York City is 3% or more using a 7-day average—the most aggressive threshold in the nation
NYC Public Schools Will be Cleaned and Disinfected, Day and Night
- All school buildings will be disinfected overnight, every night
- High-touch zones will be cleaned multiple times throughout each day
- Electrostatic disinfectors will clean surfaces daily with zero physical contact
Students Will be Learning Five Days a Week, No Matter What
- Whether in-person or online, students will study in supportive environments with rigorous academic standards
- Remote students will interact with their teachers every day
- Student schedules – both remote and in-person – will be preset and consistent to allow families to plan
- Academic instruction will integrate social-emotional learning and trauma-informed care to support students holistically
- Teachers will have time each day to engage one-on-one with students and families
Sign up to get the latest update, get a My Student account today!