BREAKING: NYC schools’ opening delayed once again

Pre-K will open Sept. 21, while elementary schools and schools up to 8th grade will open on Sept. 29. Middle schools, high schools, and others, will open on Oct. 1

Of New York's 1.1 million public school students, 42 percent have decided to go fully remote as opposed to taking part in the blended model of a few days in school, a few days out. Mayor Bill de Blasio said that there are not enough instructors to provide remote and live learning.

However, de Blasio said that the city intends to hire an additional 2,500 teachers, this would bring the total of extra teachers being brought in to 4,500. The Teacher's Union has said that in fact they'd need 10,000 educators to perform the required tasks.

Remote learning has just gotten underway, with Sept. 16 as the first test-run of virtual meetings and classes. It was off to a wonky start, with students and parents reporting that they had trouble accessing the online portals.

Some administrators said that their phones were ringing constantly, and that emails expressing frustration or seeking information as to how to access the portals were insanely persistent. Many were able to keep a cool head, having faith that they would get it all sorted out soon.

The city has also come up with a COVID-19 response team that will be able to give help to school administrators in terms of COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and mitigation.

New York City public schools, which serve 1.1 million students, shut down on March 16. It was a few weeks before remote learning was enacted, and students were able to pick up iPads for use with their lessons.

Many families have decided to opt for something along the lines of a learning pod, which merges remote learning with a small, in person environment. Those who have started in learning pods are already basically "in school," and are partaking in the virtual learning component in that environment.

While public schools are not open, and there has been substantial backlash from teachers as to the reopening of in-person education, the city has promised families that need child care that daycare facilities would be open. Daycare workers are not part of the Teacher's Union.