No more school orders from state as new local decisions outlined

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The state’s coronavirus numbers followed a normal pattern for Mondays, Gov. Andy Beshear said during his daily briefing.

More importantly, the state outlined a new reporting and tracking system that will empower local school districts to make the decisions best for their students and communities.

And Beshear said the state is studying potential guidance for Halloween trick-or-treating but “hasn’t finalized anything yet.”

The new school reporting and action system is one local communities and districts have sought and while it has taken time, it’s time that has allowed the state to put together a system that not only relies on detailed reporting and science but also what has worked — and failed — in some other states, Beshear said.

“This tool is incredible…it allows school districts to work with their local health departments and their staffs to make decisions that are best for their communities, their schools ad their students,” Frankfort Schools Superintendent Dr. Houston Barber said of the system outlined by Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack.

The system requirements apply to public and private schools.

“I want to make one thing clear…there is not going to be another recommendation from my office after Sept. 28,” Beshear said, referring to the reporting system and corresponding color-coded action system outlined by Stack.

The governor had recommended that schools not start in-person classes before Sept. 28 but did not order it. Some schools, public and private, did but most started with virtual classes. The new system allows schools districts to have clear guidance that allows local school boards, teachers, administrators and families a base for decision making.

Interestingly, o the current school reporting system which will continue because it is a better long-term indicator based on Health Department information, Fayette County has among the largest number of cases related to schools with 33 active students and four active staff. The district has had a total of 279 cases but 246 of the students have recovered.

By contract, the Diocese of Louisville has 65 active student cases and 13 active staff cases.

The new reporting system expands on existing requirements for parents and schools.

Beshear said the system promotes transparency to “help people make the overall right decisions…it’s designed to try to give the right kinds of guidance.”

“This allows for responsible, cooperative local control,” Stack said of the K-12 recommendations.

“We rely on each other…let’s continue to do this…rather than looking for ways not to,” Stack concluded at the end of a 40-minute presentation that also includes updated reporting for colleges and universities as well.

The new state system also will give way to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s guidance for sports.

“They have very thoughtful guidance on the way they should conduct themselves,” Stack said of the KHSAA rules for sports.

As for the possibility of districts that might reach the so-called “red” zone and continuing to conduct in-person classes, Beshear said he has to depend on schools to do the right thing.

“I hope it doesn’t come to us having to shut them down,” Beshear said when asked if the state would step in if necessary. “If you are in the red, you do’t need to be operating.”

“This afternoon, we filed an emergency regulation addressing K-12 COVID-19 reporting requirements pursuant to existing statutes,” Dr. Stack said.

Under the new regulation, no later than Monday, Sept. 28, all parents and guardians are required to report to the child’s school within 24 hours if their child tests positive for COVID-19, and

All schools must report via a secure website, Monday through Friday, every day school is in session, data related to the coronavirus.

He said the Kentucky Department of Education is sending instructions to schools on how to register with the online portal and report this data.

“Using this data, KDPH will publish an online dashboard,” Dr. Stack said. “The dashboard link will be posted on or before Monday, Sept. 28, on the kycovid19.ky.gov website.

“Publicly reporting this data is a necessary tool to enable students, parents and communities to make informed decisions COVID-19 risk in collaboration with the education and public health communities,” Dr. Stack said.

Dr. Stack said KDPH still will publish its K-12 public health reports, also available on the kycovid19.ky.gov website.

In addition to reporting protocols, Dr. Stack provided updated guidance for schools on a variety of instructional modes.

“Superintendents have requested local control. They have asked us to give them a metric to decide,” Dr. Stack said. “This tool provides the metric and public health guidance attached to it.”

He said the guidance is in effect as long as the state’s positivity rate is less than 6% and the health care system has enough resources. A color-coded map showing incidence rates will provide districts with corresponding guidance.

It will be updated every Thursday evening to guide schools for the following week.

Schools in green and yellow areas essentially follow KDE Healthy at Schools guidance.

Schools in an orange zone should take enhanced measures, including more aggressive crowd limits, and should consider a variety of factors to determine what mode of instruction they should use.

If a county reaches red, then both in person instruction should be suspended the following week and only remote learning should occur; schools may still use small groups per KDE guidance for special circumstances.

“Let me be clear, that there is not going to be an overall recommendation coming from me or my office post Sept. 28,” Beshear reiterated. “What’s going to be provided is the information to make a week-by-week decision in our various school districts and counties based on prevalence and what public health experts believe is the right course based on that prevalence.”

Dr. Stack added: “Once a county reaches red, it should return to yellow before resuming in person instruction to allow for disease activity to return to a safer level and to increase the probability of successfully staying open for in person instruction upon reopening.”

Dr. Lu Young, chair of the Kentucky Board of Education, was on hand Monday to support the new reporting process.

“This data about cases in schools is crucial to support families and to support our reopening efforts across the commonwealth. We all need to have a better understanding of the impact of this virus on our kids and school personnel as it plays out in real time,” Dr. Young said. “Equally importantly, we need to use this information to track what is actually happening in our schools and districts on a daily basis as this information may very well help us prevent dangerous outbreaks in our neighborhoods before they ever happen.”

Lt. Gov. Coleman, who also serves as secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, said: “This week, I will be working with the Department of Public Health and KDE to hold town halls with superintendents to teachers and everyone in between. Our goals are to be transparent and communicative, ensure accountability and inclusion and allow every voice to be heard.”

“As a father of four, I empathize with all Kentuckians about what school looks like today and how you’re navigating that course,” added Frankfort’s Barber. “This tool that has been developed for K-12 is incredible. It allows for districts all across the state to work together with their local health officials and board teams and come up with a strategy that makes sense for their students, their families and their communities.”

Dr. M. Christopher Brown II, president of Kentucky State University, also spoke Monday in favor of the collaboration.

“Every call and request for information we’ve had to the Department of Public Health has been answered. The spirit of cooperation has been seamless and constant as we try to maneuver and respond to the changing dynamics of this pandemic,” Dr. Brown said. “We are excited that the Department of Public Health, in collaboration with CPE, will have a statewide list of all the campus dashboards. We are doing everything possible to give transparent and on time data to keep the public aware of what we are doing to keep our community safe.”

On new cases, Beshear reported 342 new cases, which is “normal” for a Monday where weekend reporting usually is down. The numbers include 54 children under 18.

The new cases push the state total to 57,282 since March 6.

The state’s positivity rate dipped slightly from Sunday to 4.17 percent.

The state reached a milestone, topping one million tests at 1,020,070.

Beshear reported five deaths, which pushed the total to 1,065 statewide.

The deaths reported Monday include a 71-year-old woman from Christian County; two men, ages 77 and 80, from Fayette County; an 82-year-old woman from Pulaski County; and a 49-year-old man from Shelby County.

For information, including up-to-date lists of positive cases and deaths, as well as breakdowns of coronavirus infections by county, race and ethnicity, click here.

Information about COVID-19 and schools is also being made available. To view the reports, click here for K-12 and here for colleges and universities.