What will school look like this fall in Acadiana? Here are the guidelines
Leigh Guidry
Lafayette Daily Advertiser
The last school year was an unprecedented one filled with social distancing, face masks and quarantines, and this year might not look too different, according to guidance from the state and CDC.
The state Department of Education released guidance July 8, about one month before many districts start the fall semester, but official decisions about what this year will look like are up to local school districts.
District officials and school board members are working on those decisions now to be presented and finalized in August meetings. Acadiana education leaders are hoping to see students back to daily face-to-face instruction, but the mask issue is still being considered.
The Lafayette Parish School System announced that all students and schools will return to in-person, all-day instruction when releasing its latest bell schedule Wednesday.
"The goal is face-to-face," Lafayette Parish School Board President Mary Morrison said. "We fell behind with students having to learn virtually. By the time school starts this could change, but we want to get everyone up to par."
What does that look like?
Last week the Louisiana Department of Education updated its "Ready to Achieve!" COVID-19-related operational guidance for 2021-2022. It provides recommendations on protective measures for schools and school districts to limit potential exposure in school settings, according to a release.
It does not include mandates from LDOE or the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education about masking or distancing in schools for the coming year.
"Decisions regarding masking and other prevention measures are best made by those closest to our students, and Louisiana's local school systems have the authority to develop COVID-19 policies appropriate for their communities," BESE President Sandy Holloway said.
Like other superintendents, Vermilion Parish Superintendent Tommy Byler said he and his staff are looking at the guidance to come up with recommendations for the school board.
"We're taking the guidance, but we haven't made any decisions or changed anything yet," Byler said Tuesday. "Everything's a suggestion."
One of the suggestions is that all unvaccinated adults and students in grades 3 through 12 wear a face covering while inside the school facility, with the qualifier "to the greatest extent possible and practical within the local community context."
Since June, Acadiana school districts have only required masks on buses and not on school sites, but districts could ask students and staff to follow this state recommendation.
"We highly and strongly recommend that those in third grade and up to wear masks if they haven't been vaccinated — children and adults," Morrison said. "We're doing this for the safety of everyone. We have this Delta variant going on. We are not doing this to be mean or make anyone uncomfortable. We are just trying to be safe."
But this recommendation raises questions about enforcement.
"The question is, 'How do you police it?'" St. Landry Parish Superintendent Patrick Jenkins added. "It puts school districts in an awkward position."
Nothing is official yet, though, as superintendents continue to sift through data and prepare recommendations for school boards to vote on next month.
"I try to make a recommendation to the board based on data and facts," Jenkins said. "I'm looking now at COVID rates and the new variant and will base decisions on that. We have to look at the health and wellness of our students and staff."
As they learned from last summer, things can change quickly when it comes to coronavirus.
"We might get a mask mandate in a week if this variant blows up," Byler said. "We are still at the mercy of the CDC and public health."
For now, though, they'll keep weighing the options and communicating with state health and education officials to get ready for the fall.
"At this time, we plan on going back to school as normal and are planning and preparing for any changes and taking precautions like last year," Jenkins said. "We've ordered masks, cleaner and hand sanitizer."
What are the state guidelines?
Much of the state's guidance looks like last year's, with protective measures recommended for school settings. For instance, LPSS plans to keep cleaning hand-touched surfaces twice a day, seating charts and having meals in classrooms, but not doing temperature checks.
The state also recommends social distancing, maintaining small groups, use of masks, handwashing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine when necessary. And it's expected to be necessary.
"Given the levels of COVID-19 currently in our communities, schools should plan for and expect that some students will get COVID-19 during the school year," reads the LDOE document. "As part of their planning to reopen, schools should expect that there will be students who get COVID-19 and that those students will possibly expose other students/staff in the school setting."
The 14-day quarantine period should be used in school settings where masking among children is not maintained, reads the guidance.
Only those with COVID and people identified as close contacts will need to stay home for 14 days. Not every student or faculty member in a school will need to stay home for 14 days.
Districts are advised to prepare plans for school closures of three to five days if the school environment is determined to be a source of ongoing COVID-19 spread. Factors to be considered in closing a school or classroom include the level of community transmission, number of students/faculty affected and risk of spread at the school.
"The decision to close schools is an individual, case-by-case process" and is ultimately up to school leadership "with guidance and expertise from their Regional Medical Director," according to the state.
The same goes for other school-based decisions for things like dismissal, event cancellations and other social distancing measures.
News for this school year:What time do my kids start school this year? See LPSS start, end times here | All Lafayette Parish students can receive free meals at school this year
Buses are allowed to operate at 100% capacity, but passengers are to wear masks, based on a presidential mandate regarding public transportation.
LDOE also advises that windows be kept open when it does not create a safety or health hazard. Like last year, seating charts should be created and consistently enforced.
Visitors on campus are still limited to the "essential," and it is recommended that they wear masks and maintain a distance of six feet from others.
Prior to the start of school, each local board is expected to update its policies as needed to align with current LDH/CDC guidelines and to be prepared for restrictions to increase and decrease depending on the public health situation.
Contact children's issues reporter Leigh Guidry at Lguidry@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @LeighGGuidry.