According to the latest data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, there were 2,154 new coronavirus cases among students and staff at Massachusetts schools in the last week.

WHDH/News 7 Boston reports there were 1,804 positive cases among students and 350 cases among staff between Oct. 14 and Oct. 20. That number may seem large, but that's actually a decrease from the week prior, according to the DESE.

Get our free mobile app

Cases of students that tested positive for COVID-19 dropped by over 80 from the previous week, while more staff cases were reported, up from 337. The decrease mirrors statewide coronavirus trends which have also been going down.

The Bay State estimates there are approximately 920,000 students in classrooms in public schools and 140,000 staff working in-person this school year. The total number of positive cases reported by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is factored from school districts, collaboratives, and approved special education schools.

Also, according to the DESE, COVID pool testing is being used in more than 2,200 public and private schools. That's almost double last year's count.

Students age 12 and up are able to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but there's still no clear timeline on when younger kids will be eligible for vaccines. Students and staff in Massachusetts will have to continue to mask up in school until at least Nov. 1, unless 80% of people in the school are vaccinated.

You can always visit the DESE's website for a district-by-district breakdown on coronavirus cases. For more on the story, visit WHDH's website here.

Answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

Vaccinations for COVID-19 began being administered in the U.S. on Dec. 14, 2020. The quick rollout came a little more than a year after the virus was first identified in November 2019. The impressive speed with which vaccines were developed has also left a lot of people with a lot of questions. The questions range from the practical—how will I get vaccinated?—to the scientific—how do these vaccines even work?

Keep reading to discover answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions.

In Pictures: What Education Looks Like Around the World During a Pandemic

See How School Cafeteria Meals Have Changed Over the Past 100 Years

Using government and news reports, Stacker has traced the history of cafeteria meals from their inception to the present day, with data from news and government reports. Read on to see how various legal acts, food trends, and budget cuts have changed what kids are getting on their trays.

SWEET: Here are the most popular Halloween candies

More From WSBS 860AM