Need to know: COVID-19
- As of noon on Friday, July 17, there were 95,477 confirmed cases. See cases by county here.
- Positive tests as a percentage of total tests are at 8%.
- As of July 17, 1,180 people were hospitalized with 79% of ICU beds available.
- From March 15 to July 15, 1,165, 226 North Carolinians have filed unemployment insurance claims. The state has paid 805,810 claimants.
- On July 16, Gov. Roy Cooper extended Phase 2 of North Carolina’s reopening plan for three weeks until August 7.
In the news
The big story this week is Gov. Cooper’s announcement of school reopening plans for the fall. As EdNC’s Alex Granados reports, schools will operate under plan B this fall, which allows them to open with a reduced capacity. Districts can also choose to operate under plan C, which is fully remote learning.
Since the governor’s announcement Wednesday, several of the state’s biggest districts have announced they will begin the school year fully online, including Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Durham, Chapel Hill-Carrboro, and Orange.
For your consideration
The Lumina Foundation recently released its annual attainment report, “A Stronger Nation.” This report tracks postsecondary attainment, or the share of working-age adults with a postsecondary degree or credential. This year, Lumina included workforce-relevant certifications as a postsecondary credential.
North Carolina’s attainment rate of 51.4% is right at the national average of 51.3% of adults ages 25-64 with a postsecondary degree or credential. In the graphic below, you can see how attainment breaks down in North Carolina between credentials, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate degrees.
You can also see each county’s attainment rate here. Unsurprisingly, North Carolina’s highest attainment rates are in Orange (66%), Wake (62.7%), Durham (55.6%), and Mecklenburg (54.8%) counties. Also unsurprisingly, North Carolina has significant attainment gaps by race/ethnicity. See the rest of the report here.
Need to know
The North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) is conducting a broadband survey to get better data, inform policy, and better target funding. Take the survey online here. For those without internet, you can text “internet” to 919-750-0553.
What we're reading
Freed From Prison, Dead from COVID-19, Not Even Counted
The Marshall Project and The News & Observer team up to look at how Butner federal prison, 15 miles northeast of Durham, became the deadliest federal lockup during COVID-19.... Read the rest-
The COVID Slide: How to Help Students Recover Learning Losses
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After failed light rail project, GoTriangle pitches new ‘FAST’ street, freeway-based network
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Why clothes are so hard to recycle
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North Carolina Leverages Science and Stakeholder Engagement to Guide Flood Resilience Planning
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In historic move, Asheville approves reparations for Black residents
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America Should Prepare for a Double Pandemic
