NJ Among Safest States For Schools To Reopen, Study Finds

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey is among the safest states in the nation for schools to reopen, a new study finds.

The study, produced by WalletHub, ranked New Jersey among the top eight states for safety when it comes to schools reopening during the pandemic.

The only states that ranked higher were Vermont, Maine, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Ohio.

The study's release comes as many New Jersey students have begun the transition to hybrid or traditional in-person learning.

Gov. Phil Murphy may address the progress the state has made in its school reopenings during a 1 p.m. news conference on Thursday. Read more: WATCH LIVE: Gov. Phil Murphy Issues NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Update

Last week, Murphy released new data that has identified 11 coronavirus outbreaks at New Jersey schools – a small number considering there are thousands of schools in the Garden State. Read more: Gov. Murphy: 11 Coronavirus Outbreaks At NJ Schools In New Data

Murphy said New Jersey also has created a dashboard that now tracks periodic school cases and outbreaks confirmed by local health departments. As of Thursday, 43 cases were reported.

The state also has an extensive reopening plan that the governor says has been very effective in keeping children, teachers and staff safe. Read more: Gov. Murphy Issues NJ School Reopening Rules Amid Coronavirus

The WalletHub study looked at 15 key metrics, including the number of child COVID-19 cases and deaths per 100,000 children, the average public school class size, the ratio of students to school nurses, public mask usage, and more. The study also considered the number of seniors who are living with school-aged children, as well as those living in crowded housing. Specifics on the methodology can be viewed here.

The study said New Jersey has the fifth fewest COVID-19 cases in the last seven days per 100,000 residents and also the fifth lowest student-to-school-nurse ratio.

Here's what else the study said:

"An extended lack of in-person schooling can lead to issues such as decreases in academic progress (especially in low-income districts), damage to mental health and social development, and less physical activity among students, according to the CDC. However, a state should not resume full-time in-person schooling until the current public health crisis from COVID-19 is sufficiently minimized in that state," the study states.

The state ranked as the least-safe for schools to reopen is Mississippi. Other states ranked at the bottom of the list include South Carolina, Arkansas, and Arizona.

You can view the full study here.

Murphy alsoi has issued Halloween rules and guidance for New Jersey amid the coronavirus crisis. Here's what that means. Read more: Gov. Murphy Issues NJ Halloween Rules, Guidance Amid Coronavirus

At the same time, Murphy is now saying New Jersey may have to suspend further reopenings if cases continue to rise. Murphy made the comments after the Garden State had its highest daily number of new cases in four months. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ May Stop Reopenings If COVID-19 Cases Keep Rising