There has been a lot of talk of “reopening the country” after or even during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, reopening the country is not possible without first reopening schools. Parents cannot go back to work if their kids are still at home. So, what will it look like when students go back? If the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has any say in the matter, school will look quite differently when students return.

The CDC has drafted a 17-page document outlining how certain public spaces should go about reopening when the time comes. Schools were included in this document and some of the suggestions would be pretty radical departures from the way schools currently operate.

Some of the key changes outlined in the draft:

• Restrict mixing between classes or “groups”
• Cancel field trips
• Space seats or desks at least 6 feet apart
• Limit sharing of items
• Serving food pre-packaged

There are more recommendations in the document but even the list above represents a drastic change from the environment students left.

Scientists have speculated that COVID-19 could resurge in the fall. Still, many experts have predicted that schools would be able to open in the fall. Given the growing desire by many to reopen other sectors of the country, it is a safe bet that some districts will at least try it. If those districts plan to implement the changes recommended in this document, then they may want to start planning now.

Read the full document here.