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To: Superintendents and Principals, Charter School Leaders, Private School Leaders,
ESD Reopening Advisors
Date: March 22, 2021
From: Colt Gill, Director of the Oregon Department of Education
RE: Update to Physical Distancing Guidance - Releasing RSSL 6.3.1
I want to acknowledge the challenging timing of this announcement during the beginning of spring break for many of you. And, noting that it has been only a few days since the last update to RSSL. However, Governor Brown, OHA, and ODE all committed to reviewing physical distancing guidelines as soon as the CDC released any new recommendations. The CDC released their updates on Friday, March 19. As many of you are planning for the spring term, we thought it best to get this update to you as soon as possible. Please know that you have time to review and consider when changes need to happen for the schools and communities you serve.
Oregon will shift to allowing 3 feet of physical distancing under certain conditions in schools, in alignment with recent studies and new guidance from the CDC.
This new physical distancing allowance is a local decision (schools may maintain 6 feet and, under certain conditions, must maintain 6 feet). And, every school district will need time to plan and adjust to these new requirements. This change may take place over the next several weeks in some of our schools.
Here is an embargoed copy of the press release that will go out at 12 p.m. today to press and public. Please do not share the press release and guidance until 12 p.m.
Key updates to Ready Schools, Safe Learners include:
- Elementary schools must maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students to the maximum extent possible.
- Middle and High School must maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students to the maximum extent possible, when the county case rate is <200 (green level on the metrics chart in Section 0).
- Middle and High School must maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance between students to the maximum extent possible, when the county case rate is ≥200 (yellow and red levels on the metrics chart in Section 0).
- All schools must maintain 6 feet between staff at all times and 6 feet between staff and students to the maximum extent possible.
- Removal of the 35 sq ft per person requirement and other physical distancing changes are documented in the RSSL guidance.
- Research Informing Changes in K-12 COVID-19 Guidance
ODE will update supplemental guidance documents with this change as quickly as possible over the next several days.
Next Steps:
Given this new and important progression in the science and standards as set by the CDC, for schools during COVID-19; some schools and districts may wish to consider new models for Hybrid and new opportunities for fully On-Site instructional models. This planning will take time, especially since many of you have changed structures and communicated to staff and families about how you will operate under the previous guidance. Please take the time necessary for your district, staff, and community to adjust to this shift. I strongly encourage you to collaborate across school administrators, teachers and staff to convene school planning teams to review the new requirements and recommendations and to consider updating your school’s Operational Blueprint to reflect any changes you will make under the new guidance.
One final note:
I know that releasing this change on the first day of spring break is challenging; just plain hard. As a team, we determined that it was better to share as soon as possible and have this information available to you, rather than delay. As I stated previously, this work will take time to digest, partner with staff, and integrate in many schools and districts. I hope you can maintain part or all of any break you planned for yourself. As important as these changes are, so is the need to rest and recover as we move into the last quarter of this academic year with so much on the horizon.
Thank you for the outstanding leadership you have demonstrated throughout the pandemic and especially in this time of transition. Please continue to use the ODE COVID-19 inbox for additional questions. Thank you!
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