EDUCATION

Gov. Doug Ducey orders Arizona schools to reopen for in-person learning

Rachel Leingang
Arizona Republic
Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey arrives for a news conference to talk about the latest Arizona COVID-19 information on Dec. 2, 2020, in Phoenix.

Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered that all schools must return to in-person learning this month, saying "students need to be back in the classroom."

The move comes about a year after schools initially closed in-person classes to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Since then, the decisions on when and how to reopen have largely been left in the hands of local districts.

Ducey issued an executive order Wednesday that calls for all schools to reopen in-person learning by March 15, or after spring break.

It provides exceptions for middle and high schools in counties that have high transmission as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This applies to Coconino, Yavapai and Pinal counties, the Governor's Office said. 

"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.

Students could still opt to attend classes online if their parent or guardian thinks that is best.

The order comes as the CDC updated its guidance on school reopening in February.

Educators, including K-12 teachers and other school staff, are prioritized for the COVID-19 vaccine in Arizona. It's unclear what percentage of educators have received both doses so far.

Most of the state's students have had in-person options for schooling this year. But Arizona's students of color were less likely than white students to attend schools that have opened in some capacity for in-person learning since September, according to an analysis conducted by The Arizona Republic in January.

A change in approach for Ducey

Ducey's executive order changes course from how the governor has handled school reopening decisions thus far in the pandemic. The decisions largely were in the hands of school boards and administrators, who have assessed local conditions and the needs of their communities. Many offer hybrid learning, a mix of both in-person and online options. 

The Arizona Department of Education supports schools strategically reopening or expanding in-person learning, Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman noted in a press release after the order was announced.

But the order’s timing makes it “challenging” for some schools who may already have plans in place that correspond with their local circumstances, Hoffman said.

“As a state, we should be collaborating to provide as much preparation and planning time as possible ahead of significant changes to school operations. To achieve stability for our school communities, it’s necessary to provide them with adequate time to inform and ready their staff, students and families,” Hoffman said.

The department plans to provide schools with support to implement the requirements. Schools on tribal nations that have orders in effect for students to maintain distance learning are not affected by the order, Hoffman said.

Some Republican lawmakers quickly voiced support for reopening schools. Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, who chairs the House education committee, supported the move.

“Many students have fallen behind, especially those in low-income communities. The governor’s order will protect students’ needs, while following CDC guidance,” she said in a statement.

Arizona Senate Republicans strongly supported the executive order, the chamber's members said in a press release. They noted that most Arizona schools offer some in-person learning, while others prevent students from having an in-person experience. 

"Our teachers have been given priority to receive vaccinations. The longer schools wait to return, the farther behind our students will fall," the Senate Republicans said.

Teachers' union questions order

Joe Thomas, the president of the Arizona Education Association, a teachers' union, questioned why the governor's stance on local control had changed and how the order would be enforced.

Teachers want to be back in classrooms, too, but they want to make sure returns are done safely in their communities, he said.

"Nobody wants to be back there more than our educators and all the professionals that serve our students," Thomas said.

Thomas also said teachers want to ensure the return to classrooms is sustainable, and that students aren't pulled in and out of school over and over as transmission rates change. Some districts have plans in place to return to hybrid or in-person learning after spring break to account for any potential travel among students, and it's unclear how those plans are affected, he said.

"For a year, we've had a governor that has told the districts, 'Figure this out,' and stayed out of it, even when districts were looking for some statewide leadership. ... Now, the governor comes out and says, 'Here's this new mandate and we're all gonna be there in a few weeks.' I just, I don't understand it," Thomas said.

Reach reporter Rachel Leingang by email at rachel.leingang@gannett.com or by phone at 602-444-8157, or find her on Twitter and Facebook.

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