Giving Compass' Take:

• Mila Koumpilova, at Chalkbeat Chicago, summarizes Chicago's hybrid plan for bringing students back to school buildings during coronavirus this fall.

• Why might Chicago's hybrid plan aggravate members of the teacher's union? What can we do to ensure students' education can be carried out safely?

• Find out how states are approaching school safety in the COVID-19 era. 

Chicago Public Schools will aim to reopen their buildings for in-person learning at least part time this fall.

Pre-kindergarten and some special education students will attend school full-time, most high school juniors and seniors will learn fully online, and all other students will spend two days a week in school buildings, under a tentative plan the district released Friday.

Officials stressed what school ultimately looks like in the fall will hinge on the spread of the coronavirus and the advice of experts, with a final decision coming in late August. They said they will seek input from parents, teachers, and others on what they have called “a preliminary reopening framework” through an online survey and virtual meetings.

The district said it is taking a slew of measures to curb infections in its school buildings: grouping students in pods of roughly 15 students with spaced-out assigned seating, requiring face masks and daily temperature checks, hiring 400 additional custodians to deep clean schools, and more.

The guidance reflects a strong interest in providing at least some face-to-face instruction in the fall that both school chief Janice Jackson and Mayor Lori Lightfoot have voiced in recent weeks.

The district’s teachers union earlier this week called for full-time virtual learning this fall, potentially setting educators on a collision course with district leaders. Union officials argued that the district cannot ensure a safe return to in-person instruction in September.

A recent union poll showed 85% of 4,800 members surveyed believe educators should not return to school buildings without extensive safety precautions, and roughly 40% said they do not believe in-person instruction should resume until after a coronavirus vaccine becomes available.

Read the full article about Chicago's hybrid plan for returning to school by Mila Koumpilova at Chalkbeat Chicago.