Board members addressed rising COVID-19 case numbers and staff shortages at all levels of education at the Idaho State Board of Education’s Sept. 24 special meeting.
The discussion of COVID-19 followed the state’s decision to implement state-wide crisis standards of care.
Deputy State Epidemiologist Kathryn Turner presented to the board on COVID-19 trends as the state’s numbers rise, racing towards an anticipated peak.
On Sept. 21, Idaho hit this year’s record high for cases in a day, adding 1,730 new cases.
“Our daily case count is well over 1,000,” Turner said.
With case numbers on the rise, the state is headed toward passing its previous peak of all time high cases. Projections have been made for when this might be and how numbers will grow, and according to Turner, Idaho has been trending towards the higher end of estimates the past three months.
Initially, a peak was predicted for October, but new projections estimate November. Turner believes the later date could be due to COVID-19 antibodies providing temporary immunity to those who have previously been infected, slowing its spread.
While the state has been seeing a consistent increase, according to Turner, in the next 4-8 weeks, things are likely to get worse before they get better.
“I haven’t seen a decrease in case counts,” Turner said. “Our trend has been going upward…so I’m not confident we have already seen our peak.”
Andy Grover, a former superintendent and executive director of the Idaho Association of School Administrators, reflected on what he has been seeing in K-12 schools since the fall began.
Grover has seen attendance dropping since school has begun for K-12 students.
“Within six weeks, we started to see districts that average 90% dropping to the low 80th percentile,” Grover said.
COVID-19 cases and contact tracing may be factors in the low attendance.
Another concern Grover has seen is understaffing, both in teaching positions and other staff.
“There’s just been a lack of labor,” Grover said. “Everything from bus drivers to custodians to student aides.”
When it comes to other wages, he says they just can’t compete. Non-certified staff pay rates starts as low as $9.50 to $11 an hour. Low pay and COVID-19 risks have been discouraging workers.
Some districts that had around 200 substitute teachers now have 30.
With a lack of staff and additional stress of COVID-19, Grover noted that communication between teachers and upper administration has been lacking.
“Last year, we didn’t have a large number of students that contracted COVID-19, or at least tested,” Grover said. “This year, that’s a different story.”
Grover knew of 8 administrators that died from COVID-19 since August.
As a local control state, districts have a stronger say in policies they establish, which has been the case with COVID-19. Districts across the state have differing mask and testing policies.
“The other big thing that COVID-19 has opened the door to is conflict,” Grover said. “Whether you want to wear a mask or don’t want to wear a mask, contact tracing- some schools do it some don’t… there is no consistency between districts even if they touch each other.”
Earlier Sept. 24, a Coeur d’Alene School Board meeting considering a temporary mask mandate was cancelled due to an angry mob of around 200 people, according to the Coeur d’Alene Press.
The board’s next meeting will be Oct. 20.
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @haadiyatariq