For Columbia Public Schools, the fall surge of COVID-19 cases is causing schools to close and educators to rethink sending kids back to in-person instruction.
President of the Central Missouri National Education Association Kathy Steinhoff said she worries about continued in-person instruction.
“The students we are bringing in-seat right now were not able to social distance according to the recommendations of our health experts. So, this just seems dangerous to me,” Steinhoff said.
Steinhoff said that this makes virtual instruction vital, even though some students struggle with it.
“We also know that some are really struggling with this and we are doing our best to try and work with them, try to meet them where they are and help them with their needs,” said Steinhoff.
According to CPS Spokesperson MIchelle Baumstark in a press release, Cedar Ridge Elementary and Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary are the latest schools to go virtual.
Seven CPS schools have transitioned or are transitioning back to virtual learning because of staff shortages.
The 14 day COVID-19 case rate per 10,000 people that CPS uses is at 65.5. This is over the 50 per 10,000 people threshold to have some in-person instruction.