Indiana will start tracking COVID-19 cases in schools

Close up of a student writing in a graphing notebook.
Indiana schools will be asked to submit numbers daily on new positive cases among students, teachers, and staff. (Pixabay/Pexels)

Indiana will start matching COVID-19 tests to student records to notify schools of positive cases and create a public dashboard tracking the spread of the coronavirus in schools, the state’s top health official announced Wednesday.

The state aims to launch the public dashboard next month. Schools will be asked to submit numbers daily on new positive cases among students, teachers, and staff, said Dr. Kristina Box, the state’s health commissioner.

The move to publicize COVID-19 cases in schools comes as many students across the state have returned to classrooms this month. In Greenfield, the district saw a positive case on the first day back. In some instances, positive cases have forced schools to ask more than 100 close contacts to isolate or even temporarily close buildings.

“I cannot say this enough: The actions you take outside of school are just as important as those that you take inside the school building,” Box said.

She urged students and teachers to wear masks, cooperate with contact tracing, and finish the full period of quarantining before returning to school.

The Latest

The Chicago Board of Education owns more than 800 school buildings, annexes, and other property. It would cost $14.4 billion to update and repair all of Chicago’s public school buildings.

Los estudiantes en Colorado tienen bastantes oportunidades para reducir los costos de sus estudios universitarios con base en su GPA, los ingresos de su familia y otros factores.

Despite her lawsuit, teacher Karen Marder plans to stay at Hillcrest long term. She recently became a dean.

Jarryd Hudock teaches English and social studies to middle schoolers at Samuel Gompers School in Philadelphia. He offers his students a glimpse into Black history and Black author studies.

At a recent public hearing, educators across the state urged lawmakers to cut down the administrative paperwork involved in the current teacher evaluation process.

The new strategic plan also focuses on providing more support to Black students, those with disabilities, younger children, and English language learners.