More than 90 percent of Oklahoma school districts are doing some kind of in person schooling.
Data from an informal survey of more than 500 districts show that though the state's larger schools are starting the year remotely, most smaller ones are taking part in in-person instruction. And of those, almost 200 don't have a mandatory masking policy of any kind.
One thing that will be critical to monitoring the spread of the coronavirus in those districts will be a plan discussed by the state Health Department to give optional COVID-19 tests to teachers and staff in schools across the state monthly.
Oklahoma officials' goal is to perform tests in every school district in the state during a three week period soon.
A review of publicly announced cases in school districts by StateImpact shows that since school started in the first week of August, nearly 100 districts have reported a positive case of the coronavirus. And because schools aren't required to release that information to the general public, there are probably far more.
