In Dallas public schools, mandatory temperature checks are out, while mask requirements are in. Seattle added more options for students to eat lunch together to promote socialization.

And on Thursday, Los Angeles decided its eligible public-school students must be vaccinated for in-person classes.

Last year, Covid-19 shut down schools around the nation, forcing a largely failed experiment in remote learning and angry standoffs among teachers and parents over returning to schools.

Now, the majority of the country’s 51 million school-age children are returning to class in the midst of a coronavirus resurgence, compelling districts to rethink their strategies.

Schools are writing and rewriting pandemic policies for faculty and students from the moment they walk in the door, including where and how they interact, requirements for masking and testing, and the best ways to support students’ mental health.