Patch: Framingham Schools Sets Benchmarks For January Hybrid Learning
FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham school officials are set to decide if students can enter a hybrid learning model in January. But to do that in just over one month, trends will have to make a complete reversal according to metrics the district has set.
Framingham Health Director Dr. Samuel Wong presented potential metrics for a hybrid return to the Framingham School Committee on Wednesday. Wong recommended new cases be at or below 10 per day per 100,000 residents for two to three weeks, and the citywide positive test rate drop below 4 percent.
On Thursday, the district notified parents that it will use Wong's metrics to decide by Jan. 27 to enter hybrid learning for all students, and Jan. 20 for high needs students.
But compare Wong's metrics to where Framingham stands today: new cases were being added at a rate of 80 per day per 100,000 residents and trending higher. The positive test rate was at 7.37 percent and trending higher, Wong said.
Wong and Superintendent Robert Tremblay highlighted that the state has not set any specific metrics for returning students to school buildings either full or part-time.
"That vacuum means it's important for us to develop local metrics for the schools to consider," Wong said during the meeting.
Wong also presented other metrics the district should consider before a hybrid return including the number of daily tests and Framingham's contact-tracing abilities.
The daily citywide testing rate is 9.45 per day per 100,000 people, Wong said, which he thinks is too low. Framingham recently lost two state-sponsored free Stop the Spread sites, dropping to one site that has higher barriers: appointments are only available through an online portal, and only for people who can drive to the site. Framingham's contact-tracing team is stretched to the max right now, Wong said, although the city is looking to hire more people.
The School Committee did not vote to approve the recommended metrics, leaving the decision about a hybrid return to Wong and school leaders.
Wong also said that keeping students in a remote model may have public health consequences because students may be falling behind in learning. He said there are possible mitigating factors that could bring students back into buildings sooner, including the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and in-school testing.
Framingham will use federal stimulus money to provide free coronavirus testing for school staff beginning as soon as Friday and lasting until the end of the month. The district is also exploring a testing program with financial help from the Shah Family Foundation.
Framingham brought a few hundred high-needs students back to school buildings this fall. But when cases began spreading in schools several weeks ago, the district on Dec. 7 switched back to fully remote learning.