Estimated read time: 15-16 minutes
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From the governor to local school districts to parents, teachers and students, many decisions must be made this fall as Utahns prepare to return to school during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert enacted a soft closure of state schools in the spring and students finished the year online. But with more time to prepare for the fall, schools and universities are trying to walk a line between providing in-person instruction and keeping students and teachers safe even as COVID-19 cases continue to be reported.
All schools must have a plan in place for COVID-19 contingencies by Aug. 1.
State government
Utah Board of Education: Planning Requirements and Recommendations for K-12 School Reopening
- Aug. 7: Salt Lake City program aims to reconnect residents cut off from internet, computers by pandemic
- Aug. 6: Gov. Herbert sets new COVID-19 goal; school guidelines, process for local mask mandates adjusted
- Aug. 6: State School Board says no to stricter reopening rules, but students should stay away for 2 weeks after exposure
- July 30: As Utah school districts plan to reopen, state officials release 102-page guidelines to 'mitigate risk' of COVID-19
- July 30: A group of Utah physicians says it believes it’s not safe for students to get back into schools
- July 21: As school districts plan to reopen, are teachers' health, safety concerns adequately addressed?
- July 19: What it takes to open schools during a pandemic
- July 17: What are Utah schools doing to prepare for and prevent COVID-19 outbreaks?
- July 16: Schools formulating reopening plans as state adjusts school mask mandate, color-coded health guidelines; Salt Lake City District schools will reopen
- July 14: School mask mandate, sports on agenda for Utah governor, legislative leaders
- July 9: Herbert announces mask mandate for K-12 schools
Charter schools
- The Utah State Board of Education recently released a list of reopening plans for more than 100 of Utah's charter schools.
School districts
School starts: Tuesday, Aug. 18
- Aug. 11: As teachers rally in protest, Alpine, Provo press forward in reopening schools
- July 31: Alpine School District: Many parents haven’t declared if students learning from home, in class
- July 22: Alpine School District needs to hire 800 more substitute teachers
- July 17: School Reopening Plan August 2020
- July 14: Alpine School District lays out preliminary plans
- July 13: Proposed School Reopening Plan - August 2020
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 28: Board meeting agenda and minutes
- July 17: Beaver School District School Reopening Plan
- July 14: Board meeting agenda and minutes to discuss reopening plans | audio
- June 18: Green Risk Phase - plan for in-person classes and sports
School starts: Monday, Aug. 31
- July 20: Return to Learn 2020 Plan
- July 15: School Board meeting packet | audio
School starts: Thursday, Aug. 20
- July 30: Reopening Plan for the 2020 School Year
- July 30: Board of Education meeting, approves school reopening plan | video
- July 23: Fall Preparation Email to Parents
- July 20: Reopening Plan Letter and Survey
- June 30: CCSD School Reopening Plans
School starts: Monday, Aug. 24
- Aug. 4: Canyons School District delays the start of school 1 week
- July 28: Canyons School District opens fall registration with 3 learning options
- July 16: District pushes on with reopening plans
- July 14: Planning Requirements and Recommendations for K-12 School Openings
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 16: CSD School Reopening Plan
- July 15: Carbon School District Board Meeting video
School starts: Monday, Aug. 24
School starts: Tuesday, Aug. 25
- August 6: Davis school board affirms district’s plan for alternating-day return-to-class schedule
- July 28: Davis School District pivots to 2-day in-person, 3-day remote learning plan for fall 2020
- July 6: Davis School District details plans for fall reopening
- July 2020: District plan to safely open schools in the fall during COVID-19 pandemic
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 26
- July 2020: 2020-21 COVID-19 Reopening Plan
School starts: Tuesday, Aug. 25
- July 20: Return to School Plan (Steps for a Safe School Year)
- July 20: District plan expected to be posted
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 27: Special board meeting agenda with tentative reopening plan
- July 17: Letter from the superintendent
- June 18: Green Risk Phase
School starts: Monday, Sept. 8
- July 16: 2020-21 COVID-19 School Reopening Plan
- July 2020: Summer 2020 COVID-19 Parent Survey Results
School starts: Monday, Aug. 24
- Aug. 17, 2020: Granite Board adopts new plan for elementary school schedule
- July 2020: Steps for a Safe School Year (school-specific plans available Aug. 5)
School starts: Tuesday, Aug. 25
- July 2020: Reopening Documents: Timeline, Solutions Planning, Handbook, Social Emotional Learning and Wellness
- July 29: Ogden, Iron County districts delay school reopenings; Weber approves shorter school day
School starts: Monday, Aug. 24 (high school) and Tuesday, Aug. 25 (elementary and middle)
- July 29: Board Approved Reopening Plan
- July 21: Draft of plan for reopening schools to be voted on by school board July 28
- July 9: School Reopening Plan Update
- July 6: Jordan School District approves plan for 4-day in-person classes in fall
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 9: Return to School, Fall 2020
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 2020: Kane District School Reopening Plan
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 28: LCSD COVID-19 Plan
- July 21: Plan will be presented to LCSD Board of Education for approval
- July 17: LCSD Return to School Plan (overview of the current draft)
- July 1: Reopening Draft Plan
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 27: Revised School Reopening Plan
- July 9: Millard School District Reopening Plan For Board Consideration
School starts: Tuesday, Aug. 25
School starts: Monday, Aug. 17
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 27: Update to Reopening Plans
- July 9: School Reopening Plan Overview
School starts: Thursday, Aug. 20
- July 27: Return to Learn Plan 2020
- July 22: School Reopening Framework
- July 14: Special School Board Meeting scheduled
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 2020: Plan for Safely Opening Schools
- July 15: Letter from superintendent with preliminary reopening plan
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 26
- July 29: Keeping Ogden Healthy Return to School Plan
- July 29: Ogden, Iron County districts delay school reopenings; Weber approves shorter school day
- July 21: Ogden School District to return to class Aug. 20 with laptops for home and school
School starts: Thursday, Aug. 20
- July 23: Ready to Return Learning Options
- July 23: Information about remote learning
- July 23: Returning to School letter to parents
- July 21: Return to School Update board presentation
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 26
- July 27: Reopening Plans Frequently Asked Questions draft to be approved at Aug. 11
- July 21: COVID Reopening Plan
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 30: Return to School Plan 2020
- July 3: Learning Options for 2020-2021 School Year
School starts: Monday, Aug. 24
- July 16: Board Meeting Agenda
School starts: Tuesday, Sept. 8
- July 30: Salt Lake City school board votes to start year with online classes instead of in-person
- July 30: School District Restart Plan 2020
- July 30: Board approves school reopening plan
- July 21: Salt Lake City School District board votes to postpone school start date to Sept. 8
- July 17: Gov. Herbert issues executive order adopting updated guidelines.
- July 16: Changes to the orange, moderate-risk category in the state's color-coded health guidelines will allow Salt Lake City School District schools to reopen, Gov. Gary Herbert said.
- July 13: Parents unhappy after Salt Lake schools plan for online learning
- July 9: School Restart 2020-21 letter on the district website
- July 8: What will back to school look like in Salt Lake City? Parental feedback decides
School starts: Thursday, Aug. 20
- July 16: SJSD 2020-21 COVID 19 Student Re-Entry Plan
- July 16: School Board Meeting to finalize reopening plans
- July 10: School Reopening Plan Announced
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 27: Reopen Schools Announcement
- July 22: School District 2020-21 COVID Reopening Protocol
- July 15: School Board Meeting
School starts: Thursday, Aug. 20
- July 20: School Reopening Plan
- July 2020: SSD COVID-19 Response framework
School starts: Tuesday, Aug. 18 (Silver Summit) and Wednesday, Aug. 19 (South Summit)
- July 21: School Reopening Plan
- July 15: School Reopening Plan 2020 Draft
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 22: Tintic School District 2020-21 COVID Reopening Protocol Plans
- July 21: School board meeting agenda: COVID-19 action plan
School starts: Tuesday, Aug. 25
- July 16: 2020 Fall Opening Guidelines
- July 15: Letter from the Superintendent - School reopening for Fall 2020
- July 9: 2020-2021 School Reopening Survey Results
School starts: Tuesday, Aug. 25
- July 21: 2020‐2021 Reopening Plan
- July 14: Uintah School District 2020‐2021 Reopening Plan Executive Summary
School starts: Monday, Aug. 17
- July 22: WCSD School Reopening Plan
- July 10: Back to School Parent Survey Results
School starts: Thursday, Aug. 13
- July 28: WCSD School Reopening Plan
- July 28: 2020-21 Reopening Schools Plan approved
- July 14: Special Meeting of the Board of Education agenda and notes
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- July 28: Return to Learn COVID resources
- July 23: Return to School Detailed Plan
- July 8: Board Meeting agenda
School starts: Wednesday, Aug. 26
- July 29: Ogden, Iron County districts delay school reopenings; Weber approves shorter school day
- July 28: Elementary Learning Options
- July 28: Secondary Learning Options
- July 10: A Responsive Framework to COVID-19
- July 10: Return to School letter
Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly said the Washington County School District will reopen Wednesday, Aug. 12. This has been updated to say it starts Thursday, Aug. 13.