The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, a prominent group of scientists and educators, released its recommendation that younger students should return to school for classes, according to reporting in The New York Times.
The Academy made the recommendation focusing on primary school students and children needing special education. It was less blunt about its recommendations for middle- and high school students.
In a report, the Academy went far beyond the re-opening guidelines put forth by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, going so far as to recommend upgrades to schools’ air-filtration and ventilation systems, insisting that federal and state funds were needed for such improvements.
The report noted that on-line learning is not effective for most young and special education students, who need high levels of attention and supervision to learn.
However, the report is very explicit in saying that the decision to reopen should be held with local authorities who can identify specific needs and concerns of the community and the schools.