Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Middle-school and high school students at all New Mexico public schools will be able to resume in-person classes starting Feb. 8.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made the announcement Tuesday afternoon during her annual State of the State speech.
Previously, only elementary-school students in a hybrid model of online and in-person instruction, along with a few micro-districts of fewer than 100 students, could host in-person teaching since the school year began in August.
Lujan Grisham prefaced the announcement by praising teachers and school support staff for going “the extra mile” during a school year that often required online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There’s no substitute for in-person learning. And there’s no negotiating about the health and safety of students, families and educators,” the governor said. “I believe the planning and hard work has paid off, and our state has developed a solid, epidemiologically sound plan for a safe expansion of in-person learning for all age groups, supported by union leadership.
“We will get this right, and we will move forward, and every school district in the state will be able to welcome all ages of students safely back to the classroom on Feb. 8.”
To lessen the risk of COVID-19 spread at schools, Lujan Grisham said she worked with several parties, including school superintendents, “to enhance the safety of school buildings and expand surveillance testing.”
According to updated guidance from the New Mexico Public Education Department:
• All schools will be eligible to enter hybrid learning mode, with up to 50% of students at a time to maintain social distancing.
• Districts and schools with fewer than 100 students can bring all students back in a 5-to-1 ratio with no more than six people in an enclosed space.
• Districts and schools not ready for a transition to hybrid may expand small-group instruction with up to 50% of students participating at a time.
Previously, school districts could only enter hybrid learning if their county entered the green designation — fewer than eight daily cases per 100,000 residents and test positivity at or below 5%.
There will continue to be different criteria for green (both gating criteria met), yellow (one benchmark met) and red (neither criteria met). In red counties, surveillance testing is required at 25% per week. In yellow and green counties, the surveillance testing must be at least 12.5%.
The state will require an onsite visit to certify readiness, continued use of student cohorts, upgraded air filtration and strict enforcement of COVID-safe protocols that include face coverings and social distancing.
Lujan Grisham hinted during a press briefing earlier this month she was considering the resumption of in-person classes for middle school and high school students. The governor suggested an announcement was imminent after a reporter noted recent scientific evidence indicated in-person teaching and sports were low-risk in spreading coronavirus with the proper precautions.
She also mentioned during the briefing she was considering the resumption of prep sports, though she didn’t mention it during the State of the State address.
The New Mexico Activities Association has tentatively scheduled the start of several sports, including football, in February. Such a resumption requires the approval of the Public Education Department.
NMAA Executive Director Sally Marquez said during a videotaped interview Monday she was considering a delay of football season and would hold an emergency meeting Wednesday to discuss it. She said she was open to a shortened football season of only four to five games.
Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said during a midafternoon briefing Tuesday said if coronavirus cases remain largely under control after many in-person classes resume, then NMAA-sanctioned sports events may begin Feb. 22.
(The Eastern New Mexico News contributed to this report.)