New York City schools to reopen 100% in-person this fall with no remote option

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday that all schools in the nation's largest public school district will reopen completely to in-person learning this fall for its one million students. 

"It’s good news. [In] New York City public schools, 1 million kids will be back in their classroom in September, all in person, no remote," the mayor said on MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe."

The anticipated announcement amid declining COVID-19 numbers follows city public schools having for more than a year remote learning, with only some schools having partial, in-person classes. De Blasio has held off on saying whether there would be remote learning this fall, but did so as much of the city reopens amid the federal government easing recommendations on mask wearing and social distancing to prevent virus spread. 

"You can’t have a full recovery without full-strength schools, everyone back sitting in those classrooms, kids learning again," said the Democratic mayor. 

Schools will allow parents to visit beginning in June to see the protocols in place to try to ease wariness about cleaning and masking, which de Blasio says are part of the "gold standard" the city has set for reopenings.

Children as young as 12 became eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on May 10, and cases in the city are "plummeting," according to the mayor. However, even with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention easing of mask-wearing guidance, students, for now at least, are still being expected to wear a face covering.