In more normal times, school children would have about eight more weeks of enjoying summer before heading back to school. But these aren't normal times. 

And for now no decision has been made on New York school children returning to in-person classroom instruction by September, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday said. 


What You Need To Know


  • A decision on schools reopening is yet to be made.

  • Schools are still be asked to develop reopening plans in case the year can go forward.

  • Some child care advocates worry a crisis could be on the hands of parents if there's no school year or supervision for kids.

School districts are still be tasked with developing plans for reopening safely for teachers, staff and students to be back in buildings. Cuomo, however, said that's no guarantee state officials will allow buildings to open. 

"We obviously would like to," Cuomo said. "We want kids back in school for a number of reasons, but we're not going to send kids back to school until we know it's safe."

New York has made gains in recent weeks in stamping down the virus, with an infection rate of about 1 percent even as coronavirus cases surge elsewhere in the country. Officials have subsequently modified reopening plans to not include indoor dining in New York City and for now keep gyms, malls and move theaters closed. 

Keeping school children home would present a challenge for parents and guardians who are also returning to work under the phased reopening. Distancing learning has presented its own problems for families, forcing parents to juggle work and help supervise their kids while online. 

Some experts worry there will be a coming crisis over child care this fall, leading to a stalled full reopening of the economy.