School Following the Holidays: ODE/OHA Metrics Scenarios
The state plans to release a metrics update by December 28:
If "Red" (60 or more cases over last 2 weeks or positivity 10% or greater)
- Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) for grades 4-12 until metrics hit "Yellow" (30-45 cases and positivity between 5% and 7.5%)
- Kindergarten-3rd grade In-Person Hybrid under metrics exception*
- Limited In-Person Instruction (LIPI) permitted grades 4-12
If "Orange" (45-60 cases or 7.5% to 10% positivity)
- Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) K-12 until metrics hit "Yellow" (30-45 cases and positivity between 5% and 7.5%)
- K-3 In-Person Hybrid under metrics exception*
- Limited In-Person (LIPI) permitted grades 4-12
If "Yellow" (30-45 cases and 5% to 7.5% positivity)
- Grades K-6 and 9 can resume in-person the week of Jan. 4. Limited In-Person (LIPI) permitted grades 7,8,10-12
- Can add grades in starting Jan. 18, as long as metrics remain in the "yellow" or better at that time
*Conditions for K-3 Exception
In order to qualify for the "K-3 Exception" none of the following conditions can exist:
- The school experiences unrelated individual cases in two or more separate cohorts without a known source of exposure;
- The school experiences two or more clusters (2 or more confirmed cases) with onset within 14 days of one another;
- The school is unable to maintain staff capacity to adequately serve students or maintain compliance with Sections 1-8 of the guidance (Sections 1-3 for private schools); or
- The school is found to be out-of-compliance with Sections 1-3 of this guidance.
What happens when we have a positive case in school?
Below are some scenarios to give you an idea of what to expect in the event of a confirmed student Covid-19 case.
Each case is unique and each case is contact traced and reviewed according to Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance. The number of students quarantined and the number of classes needing to go to CDL may vary depending on the individual case.
Sally second grader (AM session) tests positive:
- Sally's AM class and Teacher (and asst) quarantine and are in CDL for 2 weeks
- Sally's Teacher's PM session goes CDL because Sally's teacher is quarantined
- Riders on Sally's bus quarantine and Sally's bus driver
Edward 8th grader (PM session) tests positive:
- 8th Grade PM cohort and 8th grade teachers quarantine. (Do all 8th grade teachers see Edward on a given day?)
- 8th Grade AM session goes CDL because 8th grade teachers are quarantined
- Riders on Edward's bus quarantine and Edward's bus driver
Tara 10th grader (AM session) tests positive:
- 10th Grade AM cohort and 10th grade teachers quarantine. (Do all 10th grade teachers see Tara on a given day?)
- 10th grade PM session goes CDL because 10th grade teachers are quarantined
- Riders on Tara's bus quarantine and Tara's bus driver.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do to help?
If your child is ill, keep him or her home.
If a member of the household has Covid-19 symptoms, keep your child home.
Why does all of 8th grade or 10th grade have to go to CDL with only one student case?
Middle School and High School instruction has requirements for teachers to be licensed in the content area that they teach. Middle and High Schools are not able to have students in self-contained classrooms like we are able to in elementary school. Pre-Covid, middle school and high school teachers frequently taught classes of students from multiple grades. That practice could not continue because the cohort groups would have been too large and the impact of a student positive case would have the potential to have a school-wide impact.
Azalea and BHHS have between 60-100 students per grade level. We have been able to build schedules that limit the typical cohort size to between 30-50 students (half of a grade level). Half the grade comes in for the morning and the other half comes in for the afternoon.
Find more information on the 2020-21 School Information Hub.