Coronavirus In RI Schools: Tracker Shows Where, How Many Cases

RHODE ISLAND — While school for many students in Rhode Island will begin online this fall, several districts will be opening their classrooms for in-person learning. With the exception of Providence and Central Falls, all districts in the state were green-lighted to fully reopen for in-person learning.

Many teachers and parents have expressed concerns about returning to the classrooms; most districts going back to school buildings have offered an online option as well to accommodate students who would prefer to learn remotely.

With schools closed since March, all eyes will now be on the schools that reopen to watch for any outbreaks of the virus.

To help keep tabs on where and how many cases are occurring in schools in individual states and communities, the National Education Association has launched a tracker.

The tracker is the brainchild of Kansas teacher Alisha Morris, who began developing it in early August. Since then, the project has expanded and the NEA has taken the reins.

Morris, who recently spoke with NPR, started building the database on Aug. 6. It was initially based on news reports going back to July 1, she explained.

So far, the NEA database shows no reports of coronavirus cases linked to Rhode Island schools. You can see the full list here.

Opinions on whether students should return to the classrooms are split: many districts opted for an online start due to concerns from teachers and some community members. A lack of staffing has also complicated bringing students back into a school setting in a socially-distanced environment.

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