<p><span>(February 8, 2021) - Parents of schoolchildren learning from home shouldn’t necessarily count on reclaiming the dining room table any time soon.</span></p>
Published February 8, 2021 •
Updated on February 8, 2021 at 4:53 pm
NBCUniversal Media, LLC
The United States topped 27 million confirmed coronavirus cases over the weekend despite new cases and deaths dropping over the past several weeks, according to a tally by NBC News. The U.S. has seen more than 466,000 virus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
On Friday, the White House said President Joe Biden will use the Defense Production Act to help bolster vaccine production, at-home coronavirus testing kits and surgical gloves. The Biden administration is also considering sending face masks to every American in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
President Biden has made reopening schools a top priority, but administrators say there is much to consider as new strains of the coronavirus appear and teachers wait their turn for vaccinations.
“As far as 2021-22, at least some part of that school year is likely still going to be pandemic response-related on the assumption that children won’t have access to the vaccine, or at least many won’t,” said Superintendent Brian Woods, of Northside Independent School District, among the largest districts in Texas.
That could mean a more teacher-friendly version of the mix of in-person and remote learning happening now, one that doesn t require teachers to simultaneously instruct two groups. That could be accomplished either by splitting staffing or rearranging schedules, he said, adding longer term may see an all-remote option for students who have moved on permanently from traditional school.