PS 131

July 8, 2020

Dear Families,

I hope you are having a restful summer so far, and staying healthy and safe. I am writing today to share important
information about the fall, when school will start up again for the 2020-2021 school year. At the conclusion of
this note you will find this information organized by topic, including school scheduling, health and safety
protocols, and more. Please bookmark schools.nyc.gov/returntoschool2020, where more information is available,
and which will be regularly updated as we get closer to reopening.

 
Our commitment to health and safety drives everything that we do. It drove the transition to remote learning this
past March, when we knew that closing school buildings was essential to flattening the curve of COVID-19
infection across New York City. It was profoundly challenging, but you and your children handled it with
unbelievable grace and effort, and school communities came together to make it work in historic fashion. 
Now, almost four months later, our commitment to health and safety will drive us into the new school year. We
have been through so much together, and as we look ahead to September, we see the big picture: the continuing
rise in cases across the country; current guidance from City, State, and Federal health authorities; and the
knowledge that as the trajectory of the virus continues to evolve, the guidance we must follow will also evolve.
When it does, we have to be ready, and prepared to adapt. We’ve also received over 400,000 responses from
families and students to a survey asking about preferences and concerns for the upcoming year, and your input
has been critical in our planning.

Taken together, this picture demands we begin the 2020-21 school year in an unprecedented way—including new
health protocols, physical distancing, and more. Make no mistake: New York City students will still be learning
5 days a week. A major difference is that we are preparing to deliver their education through a blended learning
model. Blended learning means students will be taught on-site in school for part of the week, and will attend
school remotely on the other days of the week.

Any family can also choose all-remote learning, for any reason. But we know that the majority of families want
as much in-person instruction as is safely possible, and we will work to maximize it at every turn, consistent with
health and safety requirements. We will continue to lead with the lens of equity and excellence, giving your child
what they need to excel—and recognizing the ways that will be different from each of their classmates, especially
in a time of crisis. We will not look away from the ways this virus has further magnified the effects of systemic
racism in our communities. We will continue to explore opportunities to directly correct structural inequities—
like closing the digital divide.

Our plans must be nimble so we can adjust and update as needed, as the public health landscape continues to
evolve. We are also awaiting guidance from the State of New York, and we will be closely coordinating with
them once it is released. All of the most up-to-date information will be available at
schools.nyc.gov/returntoschool2020, and at the end of this letter are the most important takeaways for you at this
moment. Please remember that this guidance may change as public health conditions evolve. 
In closing, I want to say that I’m excited, and I’m anxious—just like you. I know that blending in-person and
remote learning feels like an improvement over the all-remote experience of the last three months, but still comes
with many questions and concerns. We will work with you every step of the way to answer questions around
sibling scheduling, transportation, what happens if there’s a confirmed case in a school, and more. I’m committed
to doing everything I can to make this easy for you—and I will not compromise on health and safety.
I always say that New York City has the best students, families, and staff in the world—and that nothing will ever
change that. A safe return to schools in the fall, and the broader safety of our whole city, will require we
consistently work together as partners—DOE staff, families, and students. Together we can ensure that the
1.1 million students—your children—in the NYC public school system get the education they deserve in the
safest, most supportive environments possible.

Sincerely,
Richard A. Carranza
Chancellor
New York City Department of Education