Early last month, the Montana Flex2020 Task Force and the Montana Learn Task Force reported having completed their work and thanked Education Northwest for assisting in the compilation of their final reports. In a letter to Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen dated June 17, the Task Force members shared their recommendations and guidelines for reopening K-12 schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

Superintendent Arntzen has consistently communicated her view that the “new normal” in Montana’s K-12 schools will look different as a result of COVID-19. She has begun organi...