Hennepin County COVID-19 Case Rate Inches Up, Hybrid Learning Model Still Recommended

As more school districts roll out learning plans for the upcoming school year, the 14-day case rate used to make decisions in Hennepin County has inched up.

Champlin Park High School will start with hybrid model

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the 14-day case rate in Hennepin County is now 23.24 cases per 10,000 people. Those cases are between July 12-July 25. The previous update (July 5-July 18) put Hennepin Couny at 21.37 cases per 10,000 people. A case rate in the 20-29 range recommends a hybrid learning model for all K-12 students. A hybrid model incorporates a combination of in-person school and distance learning.

District-by-District Learning Plans

• Anoka-Hennepin School District: The district had to make decisions based on cases not only in Hennepin County, but Anoka County too. Students can expect to start out with a hybrid model with schools operating at up to 50% capacity. With the hybrid model, students will attend in-person class two days a week. Groups will be divided up into either Tuesdays and Wednesdays or Thursdays and Fridays for in-person learning. The other three days will be online instruction.
• Osseo School District: Students will be divided into “A” and “B” groups. Group A will attend in-person class on Mondays and Wednesdays, Group B on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Friday is meant for staff to plan and help students with project-based learning. Officials with Osseo say more real-time learning instruction will take place virtually compared to type of distance learning last spring.
• Wayzata School District: 50% of students will attend school in-person on alternating days Monday through Thursday, with a distance learning day for both groups on Friday. Households are assigned to an A or B group across grade levels. Parents should watch for an email with their student’s group assignment on Monday, Aug. 17.
• Robbinsdale School District: Expects to announce learning model this week.
• Hopkins School District: Offers a hybrid model, which prioritizes maximum in-person learning for youngest students. K-1 will learn in-person four days a week and grades 2-6 will learn in-person two days a week. Students will learn through distance learning on days when they are not scheduled in person. Junior high and high school learning offers several models with varying levels of in-person learning based on current health data indicators.
• Brooklyn Center School District: Presents plan to school board Aug. 10.