How are schools going to reopen? That's the question many are wondering. The state Department of Education released reopening guidance for this upcoming academic year.

What You Need To Know


  • New York State Education Department gives local districts 145 pages of reopening guidance

  • Districts have until the end of July to submit their reopening plan to the state

  • Governor Cuomo plans to make a decision about schools in early August — the decision will be based on COVID-19 data

Teachers in Western New York say they want to go back to school, but safety and health come first.

"They tell you, ‘this is what you need to do,’ but they don't tell you how," said Phil Rumore, president of the Buffalo Teachers Federation.

Local districts have to sift through 145 pages to fully understand the state school reopening guidelines.

"Our whole structure is going to have to change. The curriculum is going to have to be modified," he explained.

As Rumore puts it: it's not easy.

It is yet to be determined if students will be taught in person, virtual, or a mix of both.

"I can't believe that we can open up in full-scale in September," Rumore added.

The NYSED school reopening guidelines include students wearing masks, but not being denied transportation for refusing to wear a mask, number of buses, subs, and sanitizing buses and schools.

"It’s hard enough to keep the buildings clean, let alone sanitize. The engineers don’t have enough staff or equipment to do it," he added.

The guidelines also include checking temperatures.

"Imagine an average high school that has 1,000-2,000 kids ... are they going to line up outside the door to have their temperatures taken?" questioned Joe Cantafio, president of West Seneca Teachers Association and board member of New York State Unified Teachers.

Districts also need to supply PPE and do all this while being socially distant.

"If you take an average classroom that might have 20-30 students in it, if you use social distancing, you might be able to get 8-10 student in a room," Cantafio added.

"How" to do all this is not specified.

Cantafio says more resources and funding is needed.

"Districts have to come up with the money right now, but also the federal government's helped businesses; it needs to do the same for schools," he said.

School districts have to come up with reopening plans by the end of July and then submit them to the state.

Governor Cuomo plans to make his decision on schools in early August — a decision that will be based on COVID-19 data.