Charlie Baker, education experts want students in schools before second coronavirus surge strikes

State education officials are urging districts with low virus rates to get students back to class for in-person instruction now before a second surge of coronavirus afflicts the state.

“We know the possibility of a second spike exists, but while we are in a situation where a district has been green or gray for many weeks, we are asking districts to bring kids back to school in-person, or in a hybrid model,” education commissioner Jeffrey Riley said.

Only districts listed in red — or highest risk — on the Baker administration’s coronavirus risk map for three consecutive weeks should stick with remote-only learning, both Riley and Gov. Charlie Baker have said. There are currently 15 communities at the highest risk level.

“We think kids should be in school and think communities should be following the rules and guidance that was developed by the department and using the district-by-district data that has now been available to people since the beginning of August,” Baker said Thursday, speaking at the State House.

The comments come days after Riley sent a letter to 16 districts admonishing a “stark discrepancy” between their decision to stick with remote learning and health data that puts them in the state’s lowest COVID-19 risk category.