1/10/2021_BPS & BTU Reopening Agreement

 Summary of BPS & BTU Reopening Agreement

As long as the Boston Public Health Commission says it is safe, many high needs students at all BPS schools will be invited to return to in person learning 4 days a week beginning February 1, 2021.This update is the result of a new agreement between Boston Public Schools and the Boston Teachers Union. This new agreement says that as long as the Boston Public Health Commission says it is safe, no matter what the COVID positivity rates are, students that BPS has labelled as HIPP or “High Priority in Person” students will be offered the chance to return to in person school for four days per week beginning February 1.The agreement also says that if the COVID positivity rate is below 5 percent, then Boston is required to provide certain COVID-19 protections to BTU staff members and students, including compliance with all CDC guidelines. If the COVID positivity rate is above 5 percent, BPS will provide BTU staff members and students with more intense COVID-19 protections such as air filtration systems, testing, and contact tracing.Finally, the agreement says that if the COVID-19 positivity rate hits 10 percent, then BPS and the BTU will meet to renegotiate this school reopening agreement. Here is a link to a  detailed description with links to the agreements and footnotes. Specific quotes from the agreement are included in the footnotes at the bottom of each page. Fully Executed Side LetterThe November AgreementSeptember 9, 2020 Reopening Agreement