Minneapolis Public Schools had been hoping to move into some hybrid learning as soon as this week.
An explosion of cases in Minnesota is forcing officials to move the dial back.
With more than 1,000 people hospitalized due to complications from COVID-19 and a positivity rate of 10 percent, according to state data, the district is discontinuing its after-school in-person supports and after-school community education services. The plans for moving to Phase 3 have been tabled, affecting six schools and some 250 students.
“We sincerely hope to have these programs up and running when the number of positive cases go below the 50 (per 10,000 people) mark,” Superintendent Ed Graff said. “And stabilize for at least 28 days.”
Minneapolis has been in distance learning since the start of the school year.
Those 250 students were able to receive in-person support, after-school tutoring and more -- particularly benefitting special education students, those experiencing housing instability, those needing English-learner support and those who are the furthest behind academically -- before a significant rise in cases forced officials to pause. MPS is back to phase 2 of its 5-phase safety plan. Phase 3 would have started with 10 to 25 students returning at first. The district is allowing school-based mental and physical health providers to keep seeing students in-person.
Supt. Graff said the school was still studying Gov. Tim Walz’s executive order 20-94 which relaxes some in-person learning guidance because, “Children with disabilities and their families are particularly impacted by distance learning strategies, and they face unique and difficult challenges in receiving special education services.”
“We simply do not know how long we will remain in Phase 2,” Associate Superintendent Rochelle Cox said. “We are advised by our regional support team that we must first get to well below the 50 cases per 10,000 (people) mark, then stay there for three to five days. From there, the support team is recommending a waiting period of 28 days.”
District officials say they understand the challenges of distance learning and that not all students thrive. Before the influx in cases, some schools had been preparing for some students to return by improving indoor air quality and ventilation, acquiring PPE and plexiglass barriers, enacting enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures and getting classrooms ready for social distancing.
Sports are continuing under guidance from the state and high school league.