Murphy says the change depends on
there not being any “dramatic” deterioration in coronavirus trends.
Students were required by state
guidance to wear masks in their schools, except in some cases.
The Department of Education made its own announcement too, saying districts
can make their own decisions to require masking on their own.
"This is our best sense of what back to school looks like,” says
Murphy. “It's far more than an educated guess. But you know it's still over two
months until school opens. We reserve the right depending on what the virus
does or what the CDC does to revisit some of this."
Murphy faced pressure from some
parents who opposed the mandate in recent months and announced school districts
had the ability to relax the rules.
Per CDC guidance,
physical distancing measures will also be required. Students must also still
wear masks on buses.
The guidance can also be adjusted before the first day of school. The
CDC's school guidance isn't expected for another month.
The new school year will also mark
the return to full-time in-person education. Many schools started the year
remotely but then returned to some in-person education.
AP wire
services helped contribute to this report.