Connecticut State Department of Education

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RSCO Schools are Reopening and Here is Some Information to Get You Ready!

The start of the 2020-21 school year raises new and unique challenges for both school districts and families. During the last few months we have been working with school operators, school districts, our transportation vendor and others to prepare for the start of this school year. Through all this hard work, the number one goal is to provide students in Connecticut with a safe learning environment. We understand that there is not a single, perfect solution, and plans need to be flexible to keep everyone learning and safe. We will continue to update this page to include important information about your school's reopening plan, transportation, and answers to questions we have received from families.

Important Topics

If you are unable to find an answer to your question within these resources, please contact us at rsco.sde@ct.gov or 860-713-6990.

First Day of School and Length of the School Year

The first day of school varies for each School Choice program. If you are unsure when the first day of school is please contact your child's school directly.

In previous school years, the length of the school year was a minimum of 180 days. This school year, the State Board of Education has changed that requirement to 177 days so that schools have additional time for training and preparation.

Instruction Models

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) drafted guidance called "Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut's Plan to Grow and Learn Together" and added addendums to that guidance to help school districts and school operators plan for reopening for the 2020-21 school year. The guidance includes three approaches for student learning. School districts made decisions on the right approach for their schools based on maximizing safety and educational programming for students, families, and school staff. 

We are providing an overview and examples of the three types of instruction models. Families should check with their student's individual school for specific information on the school's plan for how classes will be held.

Model #1: Full-time In-Person Instruction

Some schools have selected to offer full-time in-person student instruction, which provides families with two options:

  1. Send their child to school full-time (the full week) for in-person instruction; or
  2. Keep their child home full-time for remote (online) instruction with the expectation that the child will return to in-person school instruction at a later time.
    • Families that select this option are able to return to in-person instruction at a later date. Please check with the school for the notice period required to return to in-person learning.

Model #2: Full-time Remote Instruction

Some schools have requested and received approval from the CSDE to provide full-time remote (online) instruction. Families only option is to keep their child home full-time for remote (online) instruction.

Schools use this option with the expectation that students will return to in-person school instruction at a later time.

Model #3: Hybrid (Combining in-person and remote instruction)

A hybrid model includes a combination of in-person and remote (online) instruction.  

Examples of hybrid models have students:

  • staggered by week so students attend one week in-person and one week remote classes to reduce the number of students in the school at one time;
  • by days of the week so one group of students attend on certain days and another group of students attends on alternative days (such as 2 days in-person and 3 days remote instruction); or
  • a split school day of part in-person and part remote classes (online instruction).

Several districts are combining these models for different grade levels so some grade levels will attend in-person while other grade levels will receive remote (online) instruction.         

Student Transportation

RSCO will provide transportation to choice students on the same basis as it has in prior years, which includes transportation for students who live in Harford County, Andover, Bolton, Coventry, Cromwell, East Hampton, Ellington, Harwinton, Hebron, Middletown, New Hartford, Portland, Somers, Tolland and Vernon.  Students are generally picked up and dropped off at a centralized bus stop. If a student lives in the same town as the choice school they are attending, the local school district is responsible for transportation services to and from school.  

Quick Links:

Student Protocols:

Many of the buses will include a bus monitor to help students maintain safety precautions during the bus ride.

  • Masks:
    • Students will be required to wear masks that covers their mouth and nose for the bus ride to and from school.
    • It's a good practice to send your child to school with extra masks. Bus drivers will have limited supply of extra masks as needed.
  • Assigned Seats
    • Schools will assign seats to students for the bus ride.
  • Morning Pickup:
    • When students get on the bus in the morning, students will start seating from the back rows forward and will unload the bus at the school starting from the front seats.
    • This process will limit the number of people walking by seats and prevent crowding in the aisle.
    • We ask that siblings seat next to each other when possible.
  • Afternoon Drop off:
    • When students get on the bus in the afternoon, the bus driver will remind students to load the bus based on their stops, starting from the front seats and working their way to the back. 
    • This process will limit the number of people walking by seats and prevent crowding in the aisle.
    • We ask that siblings seat next to each other when possible.    
  • Social Distancing:
    • The opportunity for spacing out students on the bus will vary depending upon the number of students requiring transportation.
    • The amount of students on the bus will vary depending on whether the school is full-time in-person or a combination of in-person and remote instruction and the number of students opting for full-time remote instruction.
  • Temperature:
    • We will not be taking temperatures of the students before they board the bus, however, families are asked to keep students home if they experience any symptoms.

Cleaning and Sanitization:

  • Drivers will manually wipe down all high touch points on their transportation vehicle (bus or van) between schools routes.
  • All transportation vehicles (buses and vans) will be thoroughly disinfected after completing the morning and afternoon routes

Transportation Reimbursement Process

  • PK Magnet Students living outside of Hartford
    • Parents/Guardians that provide transportation to and from the magnet school are eligible to receive a $5 a day reimbursement that is based on the student's in-person classes, held at the magnet school, attendance.
    • RSCO Transportation and your magnet school are implementing a process for tracking in-school attendance.
      • Families may also want to keep their own record of the days they transport their child.
  • K-12 Magnet Students living outside of the RSCO Transportation Zone
    • Parents/Guardians that provide transportation to and from the magnet school are eligible to receive a $5 a day reimbursement that is based on the student's in-person classes, held at the magnet school, attendance.
    • RSCO Transportation and your magnet school are implementing a process for tracking in-school attendance.
      • Families may also want to keep their own record of the days they transport their child.

Contact:

School and Student Safety Protocols 

The CSDE "Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut's Plan to Grow and Learn Together" guidance, with the addendums, provides safety recommendation and required protocols for school districts and school operators to protect the safety of students, families, and staff. Schools used these protocols in their reopening plans. Families may refer to their child's school's reopening plan for information on the safety measures the school is taking to provide a safe learning environment.

  • Cleaning and Disinfecting:
  • Social Distancing:
    • Schools are taking measures based on the CSDE "Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut's Plan to Grow and Learn Together" guidance to ensure social distancing continues in school to the extent possible.
    • Facility space may limit the ability to maintain a 6 foot distance between students at all times. The combination of in-class and remote learning will help maximize social distancing opportunities by keeping the numbers of students in the building at any given time relativity low.
    • Schools are using other measures to compensate for occasions when social distancing is not possible, including requiring students to wear masks and keeping students together in the same small groups throughout the day.
  • Face Masks:
    • Face masks will be required for students and staff. 
      • There is an exception for medical reasons.
    • Schools will have structured mask breaks to give students the opportunities to take off their masks, in a safe way, for limited periods of time.    
  • Elementary students outdoor recreation time
    • The CSDE recommends that all school districts ensure that young children continue to have opportunities to play outdoors on a daily basis if possible. School districts may also use outdoor learning opportunities as a safer alternative to indoor activities.
  • Self-Quarantining
Enrollment FAQs

School choice schools and programs are working extra hard to make sure students are safe and learning! We encourage families to review the information in your choice school's reopening plan and ask questions about safety precautions and educational programming. We hope families will choose to continue to send their children to their choice school or program. We recognize, though, that families will make decisions about schooling that makes the most sense for children.  Please see below for answers to some frequently asked questions regarding student enrollment.

  1. If a family opts for remote instruction, is the student still enrolled in the school choice program?
    • Yes! If a family chooses to take advantage of remote instruction through the choice program, the student will remain enrolled in the school with the expectation that the student will return to in-person school instruction at a later time.
  2. If a family withdraws from school to homeschool their students, can the students return at a later time during the school year?   
    • No. If a student withdraws for homeschooling rather than choosing the remote options through the choice program the family forfeits the seat. If the family wishes for their child to return to the choice program for the 2021-22 school year, the family will need to complete a RSCO application and we cannot guarantee a placement offer.
  3. If a family opts to send their student to school in their home district rather than attending their choice program, can the student return to their choice program at a later time during the school year?
    • No. If a student withdraws for homeschooling rather than choosing the remote options through the choice program the family forfeits the seat. If the family wishes for their child to return to the choice program for the 2021-22 school year, the family will need to complete a RSCO application and we cannot guarantee a placement offer.