ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – Students in New York City will go back to in-person learning this fall with no remote options.

Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement this morning.

Local school districts say they are waiting to receive guidance from the state this summer to finalize plans for the next school year.

Regarding fully reopening schools statewide in the fall, Governor Cuomo was optimistic about it today, saying in part “there’s no reason why we can’t open schools statewide in September.”

“Our students should be back in school full time in-person in the fall. I do not believe remote learning helps. I think a number of kids fell behind. I think it would become very challenging for educating our kids, especially kids with special needs and disabilities, but all of our kids did not thrive under this environment,” said New York Assemblyman, Phil Palmesano.

“No kid should be learning behind a computer screen. I understand we’ve had to do it during the height of Covid, but we are past the height of that. I think we need to get our kids back in the school so they can learn, they can be with their friends, so they can grow and develop the way they can and have that opportunity to learn in-person,” said Assemblyman Palmesano.

In addition, Governor Cuomo also said “remote learning sounds fine and worked fine enough for some students, but others paid a very heavy price for remote learning.