AFT’s reports on safely reopening schools for in-person teaching and learning

In-person schooling has always been foundational. It’s what makes great public schools central to every community. Educators know that, to thrive, children need in-person learning, and that’s why the AFT has been working hard—since April 2020, when we issued our first road map to safely reopen our schools—to get them back in classrooms.

The road map to safely reopen schools for in-person learning is forged by ensuring transparency and building trust with the education community, starting with the safety standards and resources needed to keep everyone in our schools safe. That means reopening plans must be developed with the education community, including educators and their unions, and they must be based on scientific standards that minimize COVID-19 transmission in schools. Teachers and school staff understand that remote learning is not an adequate substitute for in-person learning and that reopening schools is vital for our children’s well-being and education, but in-person learning must be safe for everyone.

You can find our reports, poll findings, video conversations with experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and other resources here.