Today, the ABC Science Collaborative released a new report showing that North Carolina K-12 schools were successful in preventing the transmission of COVID-19 within school buildings. The report detailed findings collected across the state’s elementary, middle, and high schools operating under Plan A, which provided full, in-person instruction from March to June 2021.
In response to the report, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Catherine Truitt, released the following statement:
“I first want to commend our districts, school leaders, and teachers for being so thorough in their planning and preparation to reduce within-school transmission of COVID,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Catherine Truitt. “It’s clear that schools could operate within Plan A in a safe and healthy way, while providing important face-to-face instruction for students. Seeing how successful North Carolina schools were in limiting transmission at a time when vaccination rates were relatively low gives me great optimism for the fall.
Knowing that school districts are entering the new school year with higher vaccination rates for adults gives me hope that we will see mask mandates removed for K-12 students in the fall. As a proponent for local control, I believe this should be a local decision – one made by school boards in tandem with parents, based on what’s best for their student population.”