Skip to main content

Guiding Principles and Goal

Guiding Principles

  1. The health, safety, and well-being of the children and adults is paramount.
  2. Educational equity will be at the forefront of decision-making.
  3. One size does not fit all. New York is a large state, in population and size. There is tremendous diversity among New York’s people, geographic regions, and schools and school districts.
  4. While it is important to provide districts with guidelines and policies, it is important as well to give them appropriate leeway to develop creative solutions to their unique challenges.
  5. Districts will be enabled and encouraged to work directly with parents, teachers, administrators, and their local communities to develop and deliver workable solutions to their unique needs and succeed through a collective effort.
  6. Planning for schools to reopen is not a one-time event. The Board and Department will continuously monitor the situation and provide updated guidance, policies, and regulatory changes as the situation requires.

Goal of the Task Force

The Task Force will provide the Board of Regents and the Education Department with thoughtful and inclusive input needed to develop the guidance and regulatory changes that will enable New York’s school districts, charter schools, and non-public schools to safely open their schools.