Pennsylvania

Gov. Wolf Says Pa. Schools Will Be Open This Fall

But he cautioned it would look different

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Pennsylvania is working on details of a plan to reopen schools in the fall, Gov. Tom Wolf said at a news conference Friday.

Wolf was asked about a possible resurgence of cases in the fall and whether that would affect schools. In response, he said the educational facilities would open in August or September.

“We are going to be opening schools, whether it’s August or September, that depends on the local school district," Wolf said in Harrisburg Friday. "We’re working, now, school will look different. You’ll probably have more online learning and maybe less classroom learning, there might be fewer students in each classroom on average, that kind of thing. So it probably will look different."

The hasty announcement came in the middle of a news conference where the governor also said that 12 western and central counties would move to the "green" phase of reopening from coronavirus pandemic lockdowns.

Wolf was later asked how confident he was that schools would reopen in the fall.

"That’s our plan. I mean, something might happen...yes," he said. "There’s an opt-out clause here that if a comet strikes, you know. But we’re doing everything we can to make sure schools are open on time in the fall."

Wolf said the Department of Education is working on those guidelines and they could be ready next week.

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