RALEIGH, N.C. – Wake County Public Schools students could be heading back to virtual learning. 

The board of education held a work session Monday afternoon to discuss the possibility. The board has recommended students not return to school in person from January 4-15.

Students would continue the rest of this week in-person. Officials say it comes down to staffing; there are simply too many teachers in quarantine right now and not enough people to help fill-in.

For example, this month there are close to 500 daily teacher absences with a substitute available only 64 percent of the time compared to October, when there were only about 200 daily teacher absences. 

The board pointed out they have not had any reported clusters within the school district which they are happy about, but looking at the data, they know extra measures need to be put in place.

"If you simply look at the number of cases in our elementary schools and compare it to the number of cases in our middle schools, there is a clear differential," said board member Dr. Jim Martin. " There are many more cases in the elementary school than there are in the middle school and that's both in the staff and the students. "

The vote is expected to take place during the board meeting Tuesday night.