The Arkansas chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics says it does not support a statewide return to school in August, according to a press release.

Recently the AAP released guidance on re-opening schools with a “goal of having students physically present in school” yet stresses that “this should happen with careful measures to keep students and staff safe, and with flexibility to adapt as needed to the community’s prevalence of COVID-19.”

Because some counties have positive rates around 30 percent, this indicates that community spread is uncontrolled and testing is not yet sufficiently reaching all infected people, said the ARAAP.

“Additionally, safety policies and resources are not standardized across the state, leading to inequitable protection for children, teachers, and families,” said the group.

According to the organization, these disparities are especially detrimental to Black, Latinx, Marshallese, and other minority and low-income individuals who have been disproportionately impacted by the virus in the state

These factors suggest that opening all schools to in-person learning may not be the right choice at this time, according to the group.

To ensure a safe school setting in Arkansas, ARAAP suggests the state prioritize the following strategies, which should be implemented in partnership with educators, administrators, parents, and students.

  • Local, Data-Driven Decisions. ARAAP believes there should be clear guidance from the state on specific, county-level data indicators that show it is safer to open specific school districts. The White House Opening Up America Again plan suggests reopening schools (Phase 2) when a region has a downward case trajectory OR downward trajectory for the percentage of positive tests (provided there’s sufficient testing) for 14 days. ARAAP supports using, at minimum, these criteria to plan for safe re-opening at the county level. Public health data should not be used only to shut down schools because of an outbreak.
  • K-12 Mandatory Masks. ARAAP thanks Governor Hutchinson for his statewide face mask mandate. ARAAP suggests an even stronger requirement in schools for mandatory K-12 student and teacher masks, with strong consideration given to requiring them for Pre-k 3 and 4. Perfection is not required, but masks are the state’s best tool to prevent spread. The AAP suggests most children age 2 and older can safely wear masks and recognizes there are exemptions.
  • Social Distancing. ARAAP believes districts need clearer guidance on how to achieve social distancing and smaller, consistent cohorts of students. This will likely require fewer students to be in school buildings at any given time. Districts should be granted approvals to allow them to expand into space in community centers or to use creative scheduling to allow for social distancing when they open.
  • State Purchasing Power. The AAP is advocating for federal funds to support safe school re-opening, and ARAAP was pleased to hear Governor Hutchinson share that he hoped AR’s federal delegation would support this. As they have thankfully done for the medical community, the state should utilize its purchasing power to obtain and distribute needed PPE, hand hygiene and cleaning supplies, and sanitation materials, including full medical PPE for all school nurses, building first responders, and teachers/para-professionals in self-contained/special needs classrooms.
  • Building Engineering Support. As emerging research explores the possibility of airborne spread for COVID-19, ARAAP believes districts need funding for needed classroom ventilation updates. Experts should be consulted to address highest-priority needs.

Leaders of the organization have met with state agency leaders to discuss these recommendations and are working on issues such as policies for evaluating fever-illnesses in a school setting.

“ARAAP joins all state leaders in emphasizing the importance of well-child visits, immunizations, and flu shots this year to ensure that children’s physical and emotional needs are being addressed during the pandemic,” according to the release.

ARAAP offers its members’ guidance and support toward optimal health outcomes for children and their caregivers during the pandemic and beyond.