8079 students and 2636 staff members are included in the reported COVID-19 cases. Over 10,000 individuals in the reported data among Massachusetts public schools. Just last week.
Nothing to see here folks. Schools have important things to do – like proctor MCAS testing and finish the educator evaluation paperwork.
Meanwhile, local districts are asking students and staff to voluntarily wear masks in buildings to help manage the spread in schools. This is despite the earlier claims of Gov. Baker that COVID spread in schools was “low” even at the height of the Omicron surge.
Don’t forget to check out our running list of the COVID-19 policies. You have not likely missed much. DESE has not provided any COVID-19 updates since March 9, 2022.
| Number of MA Students | 911,465 |
| Positive Student Cases to Date | 228,143 (24.8 %) |
Student Count: Number of reported positive cases for students who are enrolled in the school.
Staff Count: Number of reported positive cases for district staff members employed by the school district.
If a school has concerns over a spike in cases within a classroom, grade, or a school, districts and schools must notify their local board of health and must call the DESE Rapid Response Help Center at 781-338-3500.
DESE FAQ Week of November 15, 2021
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education weekly reports are available here.
You can explore the DESE guidance for school-based testing, vaccines and safety policies for public and private schools here.
Curious about more statewide COVID-19 data? The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has a comprehensive interactive dashboard with community level data on testing, hospitalizations and COVID-19 Variants. You can visit their dashboard here.