Pennsylvania continues to release guidelines for schools to resume in-person instruction with the start of the 2020-21 school year.

But as of now, state education officials plan to let individual districts decide whether their classes will take place in person, online, or both.

“There’s no one-size fits all approach to reopening every school in the state,” said Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera.

On Thursday, the Department of Education and Department of Health released recommendations for school districts currently working on their COVID-19 Health and Safety plans.

School districts are required to approve plans by Aug. 1 and post them online for parents and teachers.

Local school administrators are busy preparing for a variety of scenarios, understanding that the situation could still change depending on the number of cases statewide.

“I wouldn’t say there’s anyway the board or administration could say ‘this is how we’re opening up’” said Jim Thorpe Superintendent John Rushefski. “We’re looking at right now based on the information today, and who knows what will develop in the next 45 days.”

The best practices announced on Thursday include requiring masks for students and staff at school and on the bus, daily symptom screenings, maintaining six feet of separation between desks and seats in the cafeteria, and limiting student interactions.

Some local districts have already adopted plans which include these recommendations. Others said the new recommendations will force them to modify their adopted or draft plans. Most districts are also offering their own online learning programs for families who are unsure about sending their students back to school.

Palmerton Superintendent Jodi Frankelli said she recognizes that families are unsure about the beginning of the school year, but her administration continues to balance the guidelines from the Wolf Administration, the CDC and other reputable organizations.

“The guidance is changing on a regular basis, which makes it extremely challenging on a number of levels. Unfortunately, when the guidance changes, it can impact the direction of the entire plan,” Frankelli said.

Several districts said that the mandated 6 feet of social distancing will present a challenge for their reopening plans. Jim Thorpe proposed having all students back in the classroom four days a week, but Rushefski said that was based on previous recommendations that students be distanced 3-6 feet apart. Now, students in grades 6-12 may have to rotate, with two days in the classroom and three days at home, in order to meet the distancing requirements.

“We felt that 15 students per classroom could be achieved with 6 feet. Many of our classrooms are at the 25 student range,” Rushefski said.

Lehighton Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said the new recommendations have their district considering a similar format, while emphasizing the importance of in-person learning for younger students.

“We’re fortunate at the elementary center to have some of those larger spaces, our large group instruction rooms, etc. We’re going to use every space possible, especially when it comes to meals,” Cleaver said.

Carbon Career & Technical Institute is also considering a two-day rotational school week, with students getting two days of in-person instruction per week. Students would attend their technical classes while they are in the building, and academic courses through online learning.

Adjusting to an online-only schedule would be more difficult for the technical institute, according to David Reinbold, CCTI’s administrative director.

“The students will not have access to the tools, equipment, technology, and materials needed for optimal instruction,” Reinbold wrote via email. “At this time, we are not recommending full remote learning, but circumstances in the near future may dictate that we do move to full remote learning.”

Other districts said that the new recommendations won’t have much of an effect on their existing plans.

Panther Valley Superintendent David McAndrew Jr. said Thursday’s recommendations don’t drastically change their plan, which the board adopted Wednesday night. Panther Valley plans to be in session five days a week, for five hours per day, with students taking home their lunches. But McAndrew said if Wolf is planning to keep schools closed, that decision should be made sooner than later so districts can focus on one scenario.

Northern Lehigh Superintendent Matthew Link said since they are recommendations, the final decisions will still be made at a local level.

“We do what we always do, review the guidance; how much of it are we feasibly able to implement, and if we can’t implement it, what are our options. Those conversations have been ongoing really since school’s been shut down,” Link said.

Terry Ahner, Danielle Derrickson and Jarrad Hedes contributed to this report.