Parents puzzle over school safety as many Washington state kids return to school for first time in over a year

We’re heading into a third school year marked by the pandemic. 

This back-to-school season, thousands of Washington children will ride school buses, find their desks and sit down for lunch with peers. In-person learning will be ubiquitous again, even if being fully vaccinated isn’t: Only 40% of Washington 12- to 15-year-olds are vaccinated — and so are 47% of 16- and 17-year-olds. A vaccine for young children isn’t expected until midwinter.