NEW YORK - Students may need to get used to different kinds of tests this September. Mayor Bill de Blasio says he plans to open public schools in the fall, something he says he believes could be possible with extensive coronavirus testing and tracing.

What You Need To Know


  • The city is preparing for other options like having students return to class in shifts

  • DOE officials say they have a team of staffers preparing for "every possible scenario"

  • A final decision is expected in the summer

"We do anticipate more and more testing in general and specifically focused on schools, and lots of methodologies for keeping people safe -- the cleaning regimens for example. And we're going to have a Plan A, which is to open the schools fully as normal," De Blasio said.

The mayor's comments come a day after Dr. Anthony Fauci and other federal experts pointed to the need for increased testing for schools to reopen because effective treatments or vaccines won't be ready.

"The idea of having treatments available or a vaccine to facilitate the reentry of students into the fall term would be something that would be a bit of a bridge too far," Fauci said.

While a full re-opening is the mayor's plan A, the city is preparing for other options like having students return to class in shifts attending school and at working home on alternate days so fewer children are in the classroom at one time.

"We'll have plans B, C, D, different types of options if we don't feel it's safe to open schools fully," De Blasio said.

The Education Department says it has a team of staffers preparing for "every possible scenario." That involves learning from countries re-opening schools now and conferring with the state, other school districts, public health experts and those who work in schools.

The mayor deemed testing as a crucial consideration.

"That's a big X factor here, you've seen the number of cases steadily decline. Testing and tracing is going to bring a whole new sort of offensive thrust to this that could really change the trajectory further," De Blasio said.

He said a decision will come this summer.

"My goal is a full reopening with any number of protections in place to give confidence to parents and give confidence to educators and everyone who works in schools. That's what we're planning on, that's what we're going for, but it will all be about the facts and the proof of what we can do that's whats going to determine the final decision," De Blasio said.