Reopening Schools Safely: New Evidence on Mitigating COVID-19 Spread

COVID-19 has profoundly affected educational institutions across the country and around the world. Since spring 2020, most U.S. school buildings have been closed, dramatically impacting learning for students.Schools and districts are considering public health and educational factors such as potential learning loss when planning for the 2020–2021 school year. Research conducted by Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Mid-Atlantic suggests that reducing the number of students in classrooms and other shared school spaces, in addition to implementing precautions (such as physical distancing, some wearing of masks, and promoting good ventilation), allows for a safer reopening.