Fairfax Co. schools to shift students back to online learning

The Fairfax County Public Schools system is sending nearly 4,100 students back to online learning Monday due to an uptick in coronavirus cases across the region.

The students include English-learners and those enrolled in select special education classes who had started going back to classrooms part-time in October.

In a letter to families, the school system said virus-related health metrics in the area reached a threshold that prompted the shift.

The determining data include when the total number of new cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks tops 200, and when the percentage of positive tests over one week tops 10%. These so-called “core indicators” were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The school district said that as of Dec. 12, the positivity rate exceeded the 10% benchmark.

“We know this is a disappointment to our families,” schools officials said in a statement. “Our goal is to return students to in-person learning soon after winter break. We understand that in-person learning is the best option for most students.”

Data on the school website as of Monday show 520.1 new cases per 100,000 people and an 11.2% test positivity rate.

A surge in cases recently prompted school officials to send children in select career-based and special education classes back to remote learning in October. Additionally, children in early Head Start, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten were unable to return as planned on Dec. 1.

Loudoun County Public Schools use the same determining metrics, which also recently compelled officials last week to shift all students back to fully remote learning starting Tuesday.