What Does It Take to Open Schools?

The Sunday Seattle Times “Back to School” article goes into considerable detail about the pandemic’s effect on education.   The lesson from the spring closure was:

“U.S public school students learned less than half of the math and just under 70 percent of the language arts skills they would have learned if schools had remained open last spring”

The articles proposal “Avoiding a repeat of spring” details some attempts to improve education this fall with little assurance of success.  It identified the “decision-makers”, Gov. Inslee, Local health departments, and School Districts, but didn’t provide any information as to what was required before schools can be open for “in-person” learning. 

Health officials had earlier concluded they needed to keep schools closed in counties classified as “high risk” if they exceed 75 cases per 100,000 residents. That “high-risk” status is likely to continue for as long as they continue testing 15-20,000 daily. 

Heath officials are no longer willing to tell how many are even being tested so it’s unclear what percentage are testing positive. However, it’s “unlikely” the state will ever achieve the “Washington state goal 2% positive over 2 weeks” for those willing to go through the hassle of testing. 

Those making the decision should consider the Aug 15, 14 day average positives, 663, only resulted in forty 14-day average hospitalizations or 6%.   Those over 80 had 5% of the cases but 51% of the fatalities with 27% mortality.  Those 60-79 had 14% of cases and 38% of fatalities and 7% mortality.  Those 20-59 had 10% of cases and 0.43% mortality.  Those under 20 had 13% of cases with no fatalities.  The "real" mortality rates were significantly lower since many with the virus were asymptomatic or didn't get tested.  Also, some of those older who died, and the 11%, 20-59, fatalities presumably had other contributing factors.  

Keeping schools closed deprives the children in 29.7% of Washington households all the benefits of a classroom education and their parent’s ability to work.  Health officials need to provide realistic guidelines that balance the safety concerns against the benefits.  It should go beyond counties to informing individual school districts how many in their district tested positive to how many were hospitalized, what the ages were for those who died and if they had any contributing factors.  Again do it by district, not by county.

Inform the school district, parents, and teachers. Let districts decide to have in-person classes for parents and teachers for those who want it and remote for those who don't.  Unless they do schools could be closed for a long time. .