Ducey executive order requires schools to reopen

An executive order issued Wednesday by Gov. Doug Ducey returning schools to “in-person, teacher-led instruction” wouldn’t appear to have much of an effect in the Maricopa Unified School District.

According to the order, schools are to resume in-person learning by March 15, or after Spring Break. The decision to open schools had been left to individual districts.

The order doesn’t force students to return to classrooms as they may continue learning virtually.

But all MUSD schools have been open, though some have had to close for periods of time due to staff quarantines.

Moreover, high schools and middle schools in counties with “high” COVID-19 transmission rates are excluded from the order. Pinal is among three counties in the state meeting that description, with Coconino and Yavapai being the others.

The governor’s office, however, noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is clear that “there is a safe pathway for all schools to open at any transmission level, and to stay open if they implement proper mitigation strategies.”

A district or charter school could close only on the advice of the local health department due to a significant outbreak of the COVID-19 virus that poses a risk to the students or staff and is approved for closure by the Arizona Department of Health Services, the order said. School districts must continue to offer onsite support services for students for the duration of the approved closure.

The district did not immediately return a request for comment about the effect of the the order on its operations.

“Arizona’s students need to be back in the classroom. More than half of Arizona’s schools are open and offering in-person options. More schools need to follow their lead and pave the way for equitable education options for every Arizona student,” Ducey said in the announcement. “The CDC and numerous health officials have said time and time again that schools are safe and kids can go back to the classroom. We prioritized teachers in our vaccine distribution, and many have already received their second dose. The science is clear: it’s time all kids have the option to return to school so they can get back on track and we can close the achievement gap.”

The executive order followed discussions with public school leaders and new CDC guidance.

The order also revises school reopening benchmarks in use since August, with the metrics recently developed by the CDC. The metrics define “low,” “moderate,” “substantial” and “high” transmission levels with operational strategies for schools to reopen at all transmission levels. The Arizona Department of Health Services released the latest county-by-county information based on the CDC metrics.