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10 Students to a Class? Or Too Soon to Say?

Liz Lerner
Mullen-Hall Elementary School in Falmouth on the last day it was open to students, March 13, 2020.

A state memo appears to say classrooms could be limited to 10 children in the fall, but officials say that’s not the final word.

In a memo to schools on Friday that focused on how much personal protective equipment they should buy for reopening in the fall, K-12 education commissioner Jeffrey Riley said that “at this time,” safely reopening schools will require that classrooms have no more than 10 students and two staff.

But now, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education tells WCAI the 10-student limit is not final.

Department spokeswoman Jacqueline Reis said the intent of the memo was to help districts purchase PPE in advance.

She said the state hopes to release more specific reopening guidance in the next week or two.

The superintendent of the Barnstable public schools, Meg Mayo-Brown, said the commissioner urged superintendents in a follow-up message not to make broad judgements about the fall based on the memo.

 

Jennette Barnes is a reporter and producer. Named a Master Reporter by the New England Society of News Editors, she brings more than 20 years of news experience to CAI.