During the work session, department staff briefed the Alabama State Board of Education on the operational impacts of rising COVID‑19 cases in schools and at the department itself.

Local operational impacts: Department staff said some districts have had to close schools temporarily because they could not find substitute teachers and other essential adults. Officials described situations where districts were unable to safely staff classes and therefore paused in‑person instruction for brief periods. The department noted substitutes are in short supply even when districts offer high pay (staff mentioned districts paying up to $140 per day in some areas) and warned that closures or rearranged classrooms can occur rapidly as outbreaks spread among adults.

State Department staffing: Staff reported a recent cluster of positive cases within a single section of the state education building that briefly put dozens of employees into quarantine; at one point staff said more than 40 employees were quarantined and department operations shifted where necessary. The department said quarantine numbers were declining as two‑week periods elapsed for earlier exposures, but added contingency plans exist if the department must return to a reduced on‑site workforce model.

Why it matters: Outbreaks among adults have caused more operational disruption than child infections, department staff said, because loss of adult staff (teachers, substitutes, bus drivers, custodians) can force temporary school closures and affect continuity of instruction.

Board direction: Members pressed for continued transparency and briefings and asked staff to keep the board informed about any county or regional patterns that would merit board attention.

Ending: Staff said they expect COVID impacts to remain a significant operational issue through the winter months and will continue to provide updates to the board as situations evolve.