Schools in every part of Minnesota may be able to safely reopen at at least 50 percent capacity, according to new county-level data on the coronavirus pandemic.
State guidelines recommend school leaders first look at county-level case data when deciding whether to bring students back to school for in-person instruction.
According to the latest report, which is updated every Thursday:
- 51 counties had fewer than 10 new cases per 10,000 residents between July 26 and Aug. 8, which means school leaders should consider bringing all students back full-time while taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
- 26 counties had new case rates of 10-20 per 10,000 residents, which suggests elementary schools can fully reopen while middle and high school students can return part-time to allow for social distancing.
- The remaining 10 counties had 20-30 new cases per 10,000 residents, suggesting all students can return to school part-time.
State officials have said the case rates are only a starting point and there are numerous other factors districts should consider.
Most large public school districts have chosen to start the school year with an instruction model that is more cautious than the guidelines suggest.
Roseville Area’s school board on Tuesday opted to have all students learning from home to start the school year, a change from its previously announced hybrid model.
Likewise, Bloomington decided Monday to start with distance learning, saying it could not “create a viable district-wide staffing plan for a hybrid model that balanced family preferences with staff health accommodation requests, while ensuring a quality educational experience for each student.”
St. Paul Public Schools is starting with full distance learning, as well, citing concerns about staffing and a lack of space in high schools for social distancing. The district will consider bringing some students back to school as early as Oct. 19; Ramsey County’s virus data points to hybrid instruction for all grades.
Private schools, which are not bound by the state guidelines, largely are starting the school year with more in-person instruction than the county-level data suggests is safe.
Compared to last week’s virus report, 13 counties are in a more favorable place to reopen schools, while the outlook in seven counties is less favorable.
