Reopening Metrics Moving In Right Direction In Oak Creek-Franklin

OAK CREEK, WI — Franklin residents attending schools in the Oak Creek-Franklin joint school district returned to school in a virtual setting Tuesday, marking the official beginning of the fall school semester.

The Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District board voted to go back to school fully virtual, citing elevated COVID-19 statistics that showed a surge in cases in July, and a tapered-off number of cases into August that were well above spring case numbers.

District officials said they're reviewing reopening criteria based on a COVID-19 scorecard that's updated weekly. The soonest face-to-face instruction could begin at Oak Creek-Franklin schools is Oct. 1.

The district opened in Phase I, which is a virtual model. In order for the district to advance to Phase II, a hybrid model, a number of virus thresholds have to be met.

According to data posted Friday on the district's Phased Reopening Dashboard, Oak Creek's 14-day disease burden recorded 151 positive tests per 100,000 residents. On Aug. 21, the 14-day disease burden stood at 263. In order to advance to Phase II, the disease burden would need to drop to 75-99 positive tests per 100,000 residents.

Additionally, dashboard data showed that Oak Creek's 14-day positive test percentage stood at 7 percent Friday. On Aug. 21, the 14-day positive case rate stood at 10.5 percent. In order to advance to Phase II, that percentage would need to drop to below 5 percent.

In order for the district to advance to Phase II, which calls for a hybrid in-person and virtual model, both the 14-day disease burden and 14-day positive test percentage thresholds have to be met.