The data on how coronavirus is spreading at schools and colleges is inconsistent, erratic — and sometimes purposely kept out of the public’s reach.
Federal rules don’t specifically require tracking or reporting the numbers by school or college, despite pressure from President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to open schools and colleges for in-person classes. The result is a distorted picture of how and where the virus may be spreading, not just for parents, teachers, students and professors, but the cities and towns where campuses are located.
The plan in Texas was for the state to gather and share data, but the state teachers union said it is launching its own tracker because the Texas education and health departments won’t share any data for a few more weeks. Even then, it won’t break the information down by school. In Florida, the state department of health has told