High covid numbers could delay return to hybrid classes until April for Pittsburgh students

The Pittsburgh Public Schools Board is scheduled to vote this week on a measure to delay the return to partial in-person instruction until at least April 6 because of the high number of people in Allegheny County testing positive for the coronavirus, district officials announced.

Delaying the planned return to a mix of online and in-person instruction also will give employees time to receive a covid-19 vaccination, officials said.

“No one wants students back in school more than I do,” said Board President Sylvia Wilson, who proposed the resolution. “With covid-19 numbers lingering in the substantial range and the genuine concerns raised by our teachers and staff of returning before the vaccine is available to them, I have to support the tough decision to postpone the return of students for in-person learning.”

District students are currently scheduled to return to the blend of in-person and online instruction on Feb. 8.

The school board plans to vote Wednesday evening on Wilson’s resolution to wait until after spring break to return to hybrid instruction.

The board’s Jan. 27 legislative session begins at 4 p.m. The meeting will be conducted virtually and will be livestreamed.

Allegheny County Health Department officials on Saturday said while the number of patients being hospitalized for covid-19 has dropped, new coronavirus cases have increased.

The county reported 464 additional cases of the coronavirus — up from 343 a day earlier. But the seven-day average of cases continued to drop, to 418, the lowest that figure has sat since Nov. 17.

Superintendent Anthony Hamlet recently notified Pittsburgh Public Schools employees about “an upcoming early opportunity” for them to get inoculated against covid-19 as part of the state’s plan to expand access to the vaccination.

The district is working with the Allegheny County Health Department, UPMC and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to develop a plan to provide vaccinations to all district staff who want to receive them.

“Getting our students back for in-person instruction is of the utmost importance,” Hamlet said. “I understand the concerns raised by the board; however, I am very concerned about the students who we know are struggling with remote learning.”

The superintendent said the district will “make it a priority” to help students who are struggling.

Hamlet said “increased professional development and new summer learning opportunities” are among the options that will be explored to help students.