Arlington Public Schools to lay out plan for when students, staff could return to in-person instruction

ARLINGTON, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - New reaction tonight ahead of Arlington Public Schools’ announcement on how in-person instruction could look for students and staff.

The Northern Virginia school district could start the hybrid learning model as early as mid-October with all students in all grades back in class by the end of the year.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE APS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

Arlington Public Schools is providing several details and metrics about how this could work and the metrics being used to make any decisions including:

• Having a 10-week supply of cleaning and disinfecting supplies on hand
• A 90-day supply of COVID-19 equipment and PPE for faculty, staff and students
• and a 90-day supply of equipment and PPE for isolation and quarantine room.

FOX 5 obtained the presentation APS will present to the school board and parents on Thursday night.

The first group of students to return in mid-October would be students with special needs and English learners in grades K-12.

In early to mid-November, all pre-k through third-grade students could come back in a hybrid learning model along with all other special needs students.

By early December, all Arlington County students in all grades would have the in-person/hybrid option.

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The district will use a color-coded system to alert the APS community about different levels of in-person instruction.

The school district says their ability to return to in-person instruction is based on some key metrics and operational capacities, including bus routing, COVID-19 equipment, isolation equipment, and more.

Other metrics determining the district's ability to allow students to return to school include: Health Measure Compliance, Employee and Substitute Availability, and Cleaning and Disinfecting Supplies.