|
School and District Leaders:
OHA released its first official Two-Week “Look Back” Report Monday. These reports will be released every Monday with a new 14-day period and will be available here on ODE’s webpage.
Willamette ESD is continuing to support a dashboard visualization to help with interpretation. That new dashboard is available here. The Willamette ESD dashboard visualization will be released every Wednesday, following the Monday release of the OHA Report.
As you help your staff, families and communities make sense of the new metrics and approach, the information below describes a process for using the data from OHA in conjunction with the updated metrics table from ODE, to inform local decision-making options.
Step 1: Start by opening OHA’s Two-Week “Look Back” Report or the Willamette ESD’s dashboard visualization of the OHA Report.
- You’ll see the report shows case count, case rates per 100,000 in population and test positivity for each county.
- Each row in the OHA Report represents a two-week (14 day) period. The case count and case rate numbers are cumulative (not an average) over the two weeks. The purpose of providing multiple two-week periods is to see trends over time. You only need to refer to the most recent line to make a determination for in-person instruction.
- The report notes the distinction between small and large population counties. All counties also must meet county test positivity. To meet the metrics for a given operating status both measures must meet. Example: A county has a case rate that puts them in the Operating Status of “On-Site and Distance Learning”(yellow column) and county test positivity in the “Transition” status (orange column) then they are effectively in the “Transition” status.
- The WESD dashboard visualization provides this same information in more visual orientation, if helpful.
Step 2: Use your county’s data for the most recent two-week period.
- You’ll use the most recent data in conjunction with the new metrics table to get a clear determination of what instructional models and options your school community are eligible and able to consider.
- For Schools that draw greater than 10% of staff or greater than 10% of students from other counties you’ll also want to take note of the status of the metrics in those counties. If they have not yet been met, the guidance dictates that you:
- Consider delaying a return to in-person instructional models until these counties meet the required metrics, unless, if after discussion with the local public health authority a collaborative decision is made that the neighboring county community spread does not pose significantly higher-risk.
Step 3: Work within your options to set direction at the local level within the metrics framework. If you will move towards additional in-person instructional models, please keep in mind:
- Schools have a 14-day window to open from the date the metrics are met.
- Once metrics are met, schools may work within a 14-day (two week) opening window during which they can move toward implementing in-person instruction. This will support district planning, staff training and learning, family communication, and a more gradual rather than rushed opening.
- If, within that 14-day window, COVID-19 cases continue to increase and you become aware of community spread, the school leaders should work with their local public health to make a collaborative decision on how to operate any form of on-site instruction. It could be that a decision is reached to wait and review additional data over the next week or two to assess the trends and communicate with families. This is a local district/school decision.
- We’ve also gotten several questions about whether you can continue to expand grades once you’ve begun operating even if you later move into the “Transition” Operating Status (Orange column). Expansion within the elementary school up to grade 6 within that school would still be allowed given plans and protocols and no additional spread. No further expansion to middle or high school would be allowed. If you already began expansion in middle or high school, you’ll freeze at whatever point you are when you move into this Operating Status with no further expansion.
-
If your county is in the “Yellow” column for On-Site or Distance Learning, prioritize careful phasing in of On-Site or Hybrid for elementary schools (starting with K-3 and adding additional grades up to grade 6).
- This language in the RSSL guidance is intentionally left up to local discretion based on community spread and collaborative conversations with LPHAs.
- Note that if you decide you are ready and want to expand from elementary to middle or high school within this operating status, you will need to work with your LPHA and follow the four week review of average outbreak size. The soonest that could begin would be November 27, four weeks from the effective date of this new framework.
-
As you consider a transition to a new instructional model (On-Site, Hybrid, Comprehensive Distance Learning), use an equity-based decision tool.
- An equity-based decision tool can illustrate potential positive and negative impacts on students, families, and staff from all communities. A decision tool can inform a school around issues of equity in implementation, including: timing, costs (to schools and families), capacity, morale, disproportionate impacts, professional learning needs and more.
- Update your school’s Operational Blueprints and weekly status updates to reflect the current instructional model.
The best detailed explanation of the general metrics and exceptions can be found in the new section 0 in the Ready Schools, Safe Learners document, beginning on page 12.
Please send questions to ODECOVID19@state.or.us
|
