RALEIGH — North Carolina’s public school districts and charter schools can choose to allow elementary school students back in classrooms starting Oct. 5.

Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday the option is available to schools because of improving COVID-19 trends. But the option includes safety measures such as face coverings for all students, teachers and staff; social distancing; and symptom screening. The option does not require schools to reduce the number of children in the classroom.

“We are able to open this option because most North Carolinians have doubled down on our safety and prevention measures and stabilized our numbers,” Cooper said. “North Carolinians are doing the hard work to improve our numbers and trends. Many people are wearing masks, keeping social distance and being careful to protect others as well as themselves. We have shown that listening to the science works. And I’m proud of our resolve.”

Cooper announced in July that every school district will continue to have flexibility to select either in-person learning, a hybrid system of in-person and remote learning, or remote learning only based on local needs. School districts are to continue offering parents and guardians the option of selecting remote learning for their students, according to the governor’s office.

The Public Schools of Robeson County Board of Education voted Sept. 8 to continue offering remote learning only for the second nine-week grading period.

Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, said North Carolina has seen a sustained leveling or decrease of key COVID-19 metrics.

“Our trends show that we are on the right track. It’s up to all of us to protect our progress. Our individual actions like those 3 Ws will help keep our school doors open,” Cohen said.

As schools have opened, the current science shows that younger children are less likely to become infected, have symptoms, experience severe disease or spread the virus, she said.

“It’s great news today that we are a step closer to providing the option of in-person learning to families who want their children to return to school,” said Mark Johnson, superintendent of Public Instruction. “While the governor, the State Board of Education and I have our differences, I join with them today to encourage local school board members to take advantage of this change and open all schools safely. I thank the many parents and teachers across North Carolina who have been vocal advocates on this important issue.”

Eric Davis, State Board of Education chairman, praised Cooper’s announcement and the work done over the past six months by superintendents, principals, teachers and local boards of education to ensure the safety of students and staff while educating the state’s children.

“While we are anxious to return all students, we know that teachers, principals, and students need a gradual transition over the next three months,” Davis said. “I ask our parents to remain patient, knowing that we are moving as quickly as is safely possible. And I ask our teachers to continue to assist our students by supporting this deliberate, thoughtful transition.”

Returning to in-person instruction has been the goal of the North Carolina Association of Educators since the start of the pandemic, said Tamika Walker Kelly, NCAE president. But the transition must be conducted safely to ensure the health of educators and students.

“Local school districts already have significant flexibility to open for in-person instruction, and loosening guidelines further is flirting with danger,” she said. “Maintaining a minimum 6-foot social distance at all times is a critical safety measure for both educators and students, and we will not recommend for any educator to enter a nondistancing classroom without a properly fitted N-95 mask to protect their health, and the health of everyone around them.”

State senate leader Phil Berger said Cooper’s announcement was a step in the right. But, the governor needs to provide all parents with the option of full-time, in-person instruction, Berger said.

“His new plan ignores the needs of low-income and exceptional students in middle and high schools for in-person instruction,” the Republican senator said. “We continue to hear that these decisions are being made based on ‘science.’ What is the science that says it’s safe for fifth-graders to be in school full time, but it’s not safe for sixth-graders?

“It’s puzzling to me how the governor can insist that only he can make decisions about smaller issues like playground openings, but then pass off political responsibility for something as important as schools. That’s not leadership – it’s avoiding the tough calls in an election year.”