OBJECTIVES To identify factors associated with the decision to provide in-person, hybrid, and remote learning in kindergarten through 12th grade school districts during the 2020-2021 school year. METHODS We performed a retrospective study evaluating school district mode of learning and community coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) incidence and percentage positivity rates at 3 time points during the pandemic: (1) September 15, 2020 (the beginning of the school year, before Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance); (2) November 15, 2020 (midsemester after the release of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and an increase of COVID-19 cases); and (3) January 15, 2021 (start of the second semester and peak COVID-19 rates). Five states were included in the analysis: Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The primary outcome was mode of learning in elementary, middle, and high schools during 3 time points. The measures included community COVID-19 incidence and percentage positivity rates, school and student demographics, and county size classification of school location. RESULTS No relationship between mode of learning and community COVID-19 rates was observed. County urban classification of school location was associated with mode of learning with school districts in nonmetropolitan and small metropolitan counties more likely to be in-person. CONCLUSIONS Community COVID-19 rates did not appear to influence the decision of when to provide in-person learning. Further understanding of factors driving the decisions to bring children back into the classroom are needed. Standardizing policies on how schools apply national guidance to local decision-making may decrease disparities in emergent crises.

中文翻译：

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城市分类（而非 COVID-19 社区比率）与美国 K-12 学校的学习模式相关吗？


目标 确定 2020-2021 学年在幼儿园至 12 年级学区提供面对面、混合和远程学习的决定相关的因素。方法 我们进行了一项回顾性研究，评估了学区的学习模式和社区冠状病毒 2019 (COVID-19) 发病率以及大流行期间 3 个时间点的阳性率百分比： (1) 2020 年 9 月 15 日（学年开始前，之前）疾病控制和预防中心指导）； (2) 2020年11月15日（美国疾病控制与预防中心发布指导意见且COVID-19病例增加后的学期中期）； (3) 2021 年 1 月 15 日（第二学期开始和 COVID-19 发病率高峰）。分析中包括五个州：密歇根州、密苏里州、北卡罗来纳州、俄亥俄州和威斯康星州。主要结果是小学、初中和高中三个时间点的学习模式。这些措施包括社区 COVID-19 发病率和阳性率百分比、学校和学生人口统计数据以及学校位置的县规模分类。结果 没有观察到学习模式与社区 COVID-19 发病率之间的关系。学校位置的县城市分类与非大都市和小都市县的学区的学习模式更有可能是面对面的。结论 社区 COVID-19 发病率似乎不会影响何时提供面对面学习的决定。需要进一步了解推动儿童重返课堂决策的因素。将学校如何将国家指导应用于地方决策的政策标准化可能会减少紧急危机中的差异。