New York City again delays in-person learning for most students

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City has again delayed the start of in-person learning for most of the more than 1 million students in its public school system.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that most elementary school students would do remote-only learning until Sept. 29. Middle and high schools would stay remote through Oct. 1.

READ MORE: New York City delays start of school year to allow more prep time

The delay came just days before students across the nation’s largest school district were set to resume in-person instruction Monday. Now, only pre-kindergarten students and some other special education students will be going back into physical classrooms next week.

De Blasio and union leaders said the city needed more time to prepare for students to return to school buildings.

“We are doing this to make sure all of the standards we set can be achieved,” de Blasio said.

Labor leaders, who had sounded alarms in recent days that the schools just weren’t ready to reopen, appeared with the Democrat at a news conference to announce the delay.

“Opening Monday to everyone would not have been safe for our students,” said Mark Cannizzaro, president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, the union that represents principals.