The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to release guidelines this week on how schools should reopen, and one of the big questions is whether or not teachers have to be vaccinated before returning to the classroom.

According to a recent suggestion by the CDC's director, that wouldn't be necessary, but reinforced masking, social distancing, ventilation and testing will likely be necessary.

Many school districts in New Jersey have been remote in some capacity. In Highland Park, the district has been remote since last March. Superintendent Scott Taylor wants to hear specific guidelines from the CDC’s announcement.

"From the federal level, a directive to states that educators become vaccinated right away,” says Taylor. “We cannot wait any longer. We can't accept more of the hodge-podge manor teachers and team have been getting appointments to be vaccinated."

The district's middle and high schools are supposed to transition to hybrid learning next Tuesday.

In districts such as Newark and Montclair, teacher unions also want vaccinations before returning, but if teachers are not prioritized for vaccines, that's unlikely.

President Joe Biden and his administration want students back in school buildings by April.