Buzz
As schools reopen, it’s inevitable that some will face temporary closures due to COVID-19 outbreaks among students and staff. While there’s no federal system to monitor school outbreaks, the National Education Association has been gathering news reports and organizing them by school district.
This initiative was launched by Alisha Morris, a Kansas teacher, and later adopted by the NEA to create a reliable, nationwide database. The system depends on educators and volunteers to report COVID-19 cases and safety issues in schools across the United States.
Outbreaks and cases are verified through media reports. The tracker includes links for submitting case reports and safety concerns, with the latter kept confidential and anonymous. Morris suggests that if information is scarce, individuals should contact local news outlets to encourage further investigation.
By clicking on state reports, you can view outbreaks organized by school district, complete with links to media reports for additional details. While it’s not a comprehensive tracking system and its creators acknowledge its limitations, the effort behind it is remarkable. It serves as a valuable resource for determining if your school has experienced an outbreak.
It’s unfortunate that there’s no centralized, well-funded national system to accurately monitor school-related COVID-19 cases. With the federal response being inconsistent, states are left to manage as best they can, often with limited resources and political support. We commend the NEA and its volunteers for stepping up and providing a practical alternative. Check your state’s reports here.
