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