Two special education teachers from the Tempe Union High School District have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 and other staffers are sick or quarantined, the district said in a Thursday letter to families. The district called these cases "unintended consequences" of its efforts to provide in-person special education services to families that felt comfortable sending their students to school.
The two teachers were hospitalized due to COVID-19 this past week. In addition, a student services coordinator is very sick from COVID-19, and seven classroom aides are quarantined because a special education student that was positive came to school for in-person instruction, the district said in a statement.
On Nov. 20, the district announced it would return students to virtual instruction starting Nov. 30, but it continue on-site services for certain students including those in fully contained special education classes. A July executive order by Gov. Doug Ducey requires districts and charters to offer these services in order to received enhanced funding from the governor's office, though school officials can apply for a waiver if their schools have an outbreak.
In order to avoid risks after winter break, the district is pausing in-person instruction for special education students in fully contained classes for at least the first two weeks of the third quarter, which starts on Jan. 4.
"I am sure that you are also aware that a special education teacher in an East Valley School District recently passed away from COVID, likely exposed at work from a special education student," the district said in its statement. "Because it is reasonable to assume that our COVID metrics will be even higher post holiday season, it seems prudent that we plan for a wait-and-see the data approach."
The district expects to have an update for families by Jan. 8. It will offer virtual instructional in the meantime, the district said.
General education students will also start the next quarter virtually. On-site services for other students will continue to be offered as usual.
