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Detroit superintendent recommends 5% infection-rate threshold for in-person learning, outlines surveys, hubs and vaccine plan
Summary
Superintendent outlined a data-driven return-to-school plan tying in-person learning to a 5% COVID-19 positive-rate threshold, announced a family and staff survey to gauge demand, described learning hubs, device/Internet access and a planned MOU with the city health department for limited staff vaccinations at district sites.
Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Aviti updated the Detroit Public Schools Community District board on COVID-19 metrics, student engagement, and the district’s operational plans at the Jan. 12 regular meeting.
Front and center was a pandemic threshold the district has used: the superintendent reiterated that the district has aimed to reopen in-person learning only when the city’s seven-day average positive infection rate drops at or below 5 percent. “We have said 5 percent is too high, and that’s the number that we have remained focused on,” he said, framing the figure as the district’s operational benchmark.
Why it matters: The threshold guides when the district will reintroduce learning centers and classrooms to a population of roughly 49,333 students; it affects transportation, staffing and school safety plans.
Surveys and schedule planning: The superintendent announced a short family and staff survey to be released the following day. The survey will ask parents and teachers whether they plan to choose in-person, online, or hybrid instruction for the start of the third quarter and will ask about willingness to receive the vaccine. Survey responses will be used to match demand (family preferences) with supply (teacher availability) when building master schedules. The superintendent said schools will assist families who cannot access the survey online and that home visits are being expanded to follow up with students who have not logged in.
Learning hubs and device access: The district is operating neighborhood hubs that provide device repair, hotspot-capable laptops and other family resources; Internet access for students is being provided through June 2021 and the superintendent said he was optimistic federal CARES funds could extend that support into the summer.
Assessments, grading and the Online Learning Task Force: The district will convene an Online Learning Task Force composed of teachers, parents, students and community members to recommend (among other items) minimum attendance thresholds to prevent within-year failures, grading band adjustments to reduce failure rates, and limits on daily screen time and assignment load.
Vaccine access and MOU: The superintendent said DPSCD is negotiating an MOU with the city health department to distribute vaccines to district employees and essential contracted workers at a small number of district sites, using the district’s scheduling tools to manage appointments. He emphasized that the district will not mandate vaccines at this time: “My recommendation is not to mandate the vaccine, at least not right now.” He also cautioned that the district’s ability to vaccinate will depend on supply.
Budget and nutrition funding: CFO Jeremy Verdito reported that revenues through November exceeded initial projections because of state and federal reimbursements and private donations. The superintendent said Congress had signaled federal support to help make up food-service shortfalls caused by low meal participation during remote learning.
What’s next: The board asked staff to use survey results to plan phased re-openings (learning hubs first, targeted tiers for ESE and lower grades), and the superintendent said he would provide the board with survey outcomes and updated reopening recommendations in the coming weeks.
