Dept. of Ed: 63 Student, 34 Staff Test Positive After Return to School
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has released a spreadsheet on its website with details about positive COVID-19 cases.
The information will serve as a dashboard for positive cases in schools, set to be released weekly, was published on this morning by education officials from local schools operating in-person or hybrid learning.
While not every district in Berkshire County has returned to in-person or hybrid learning, many have or will be shortly. Pittsfield Public School District just announced their plans to return to the classroom earlier this week.
According to the report, during the first week of school, the department received confirmed reports of 63 students with positive COVID-19 cases. Those cases are spread across 41 different school districts, two collaboratives, and two special education schools. There were 34 positive cases among staff members from 21 different districts and three special education schools.
Those districts are Boston-area towns and cities including Brookline, Everett, Quincy, Lynn, Medford, and Waltham, however, no cases have been reported in Boston.
The report only includes information about positive cases of students and staff who have been in school buildings for either in-person or hybrid learning. If a student is learning remotely or a staff member has not been in a school building 7 days prior to receiving a positive result, the data is not reported by DESE.
DESE says it will not play a formal role in tracking or monitoring cases at a local or statewide level. This information will allow the organization to provide support to local officials in consultation with public health authorities.
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