By CHRIS COLLINS
(Boston, MA) — It looks like the school year is going to start a little later than usual in Massachusetts.
State Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeff Riley this week announced a deal with state teacher’s unions to reduce the number of days in the school year from 180 to 170 days to allow districts additional time to prepare for the school year.
A number of unions, including the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association, have expressed concerns about the safety and propriety of returning to in-classroom learning in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic. Massachusetts school districts are in the process of creating educational plans include a full return to school, a full remote learning plan, or some hybrid of both.
Riley said the agreement requires districts to start classes no later than September 16th. The Frontier-Union 38 district and Greenfield school committee are expected to continue discussing their individual reopening plans this week.