Pierce County health officials advised the Puyallup School District to halt the plan for in-person learning until the county sees a decline in new coronavirus cases.
The district posted online, "Based on guidance received today, we will not return students as planned in grades K-1 on Oct. 6 and grades 2-6 on Oct. 13."
There is an exception for around 700 students, mostly in special education, who returned to class Tuesday for the first time since the statewide quarantine went into effect last school year.
The district said, "Small groups of special education and developmental preschool students, as well as secondary McKinney Vento students, will return to a schedule of limited classroom time."
There is no timeline yet for elementary through high school students to return to the classroom. Families still have the option to continue with remote learning, even when students are allowed back in the classroom.
Tacoma-Pierce County Health shared the following data on coronavirus cases, noting that the final decision on in-person learning is up to the school district or private school:
"We are concerned about the recent upward trend of Pierce County’s COVID-19 14-day case rate, which is at 60.8 per 100,000 population (including a 6-day lag) today. The rate has increased 12 out of the past 14 days. If this same pattern continues, we expect the rate to go above 75 per 100,000, with the 6-day data lag, sometime next week. If we surpass that threshold, Pierce County will move back into the “High” category of the COVID-19 Activity Level per the Department of Health’s Decision Tree for the Provision of In Person Learning.
Using the 6-day data lag helps us to determine these types of trends. We will continue to closely watch the case rate and other metrics to determine when to issue a recommendation that schools stop in-person learning, but the school district or private school will make the final decision. Students designated as high need individuals can continue to have in-person instruction in small groups even during the High COVID-19 Activity Level.
We’re watching the numbers closely and providing accurate information to schools for planning and decision making. We need everyone to do their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Pierce County."
