After spending the final months of the 2019-2020 school year doing all remote learning, Colorado school districts are now just a month away from the new school year. All are planning to return to in-person learning in some capacity.
The Douglas County School District is set to begin classes on Friday, Aug. 7. Aurora and Adams 14 follow on Aug. 11. Brighton 27-J schools will start Aug. 12. Littleton Public Schools start Aug. 13. Denver Public Schools start Aug. 17, and Jeffco Public Schools start on Aug. 24.
Denver, JeffCo and Cherry Creek have all released plans to return to in-person learning. JeffCo and Cherry Creek say elementary students will have the option of five full days in class, while middle and high school students will do a combination of remote and in-person learning. Denver Public Schools intends to return to full in-person classses for all students. But districts say their plans could change based on guidance from the state and health officials. The Douglas County School District has approved recommendations from a task force, but has not finalized a plan.
One important question is how schools will handle any new cases of COVID-19 among teachers, staff, students or parents during the school year. Colorado has seen a very small number of cases at childcare centers that have remained open, but cases among children are expected to increase if more of them are in school.
A spokesperson for Denver Public Schools said students will be kept in groups to minimize the spread of the virus, and if there is a case, that group would be quarantined for 14 days. JeffCo Public Schools and Cherry Creek Schools indicated decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis while working with local health officials.