West Ada asks parents whether students should be in school despite health guidelines
If you’re a parent of a child who attends school in the state’s largest district — West Ada — you likely received a survey asking whether or not administrators should change how schools function during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The email survey, sent to parents earlier in the week, is meant to gauge the comfort level of West Ada parents if Boise-based Central District Health should move the school district into the “red” category, which indicates community transmission and is a guideline issued by state officials suggesting that all classes move online.
The West Ada School District is currently in the “yellow” category — meaning there is a moderate risk of community spread — and holding a hybrid schedule consisting of alternating days of in-person learning and online classes.
The survey asks parents yes-or-no questions about whether they would feel comfortable if the district held classes in-person on alternating days even while in the “red” category or had all classes be in-person while in the “yellow.”
Char Jackson, a spokesperson for the school district, said the survey is purely to get a feeling on how parents feel about having children in classrooms.
“The results of this survey won’t necessarily dictate how we move forward,” Jackson said.
Teachers and staff were sent the survey to determine their comfort levels as well.
Jackson said the results of the survey will help guide the district on how to proceed if CDH were to move the district to “red,” an increasing possibility given Ada County’s recent uptick in coronavirus cases.
While the guidelines are only suggestions on how schools should conduct classes, it would be a notable shift for a school district to not follow them. In places like Emmett, the coronavirus has swept through the school district and caused more than 100 students and staff members to quarantine after several positive cases were found.
For the West Ada School District, class schedules during the coronavirus outbreak have been a topic of repeated discussion.
An investigation by the Idaho Statesman revealed that the district will not publicly release its coronavirus outbreak data, saying privacy laws like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevent West Ada from doing so.
However, federal agencies have said that HIPAA and FERPA do not prevent schools from releasing general data on COVID-19. The Boise School District keeps a rolling list of coronavirus cases connected to its schools.
Disagreements over West Ada’s school schedule have also prompted multiple protests pushing for the district to open schools fully.
The West Ada survey will be open until Oct. 8. Jackson said the results will be shared with parents and staff once it concludes.
According to its website, the school board’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13. It was unknown as of Friday whether the topic of changing schedules will be discussed, Jackson said.
