NC schools are closed, and many people have questions. Here are some answers.
The closure of North Carolina’s public school buildings through mid-May is forcing a change in how students are being taught.
School districts and charter schools across the state are making the switch to online learning for their students because their campuses have been closed to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. It’s a change that many schools in North Carolina and the rest of the nation aren’t comfortable making just yet.
But with students facing not being at school for two months, it’s a transition that schools have to make.
“I’ve asked the State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Public Instruction and legislators, to develop a plan that strives to educate our students through the remainder of the school year,” Gov. Roy Cooper said Monday. “That includes providing our students with as much remote learning as possible and a real connection to our schools even while the buildings themselves are closed. We must maximize the time left in the year as much as possible.”
Here’s some information on what’s happening as teachers and students switch to the new world of online learning.
Why am I not getting new course material?
A number of North Carolina school districts are only providing supplemental material that was already taught. This means many students aren’t yet being taught the new course material they would have gotten if schools were open.
The reason for the delay cited by those districts is that not all families have a computer at home and access to the internet to do online learning.
But Monday’s news that schools will remain closed longer than the two weeks previously announced means that a switch will come at some point. Wake County school officials say they’ll begin the next phase of remote learning, which includes teaching new material, in April.
Will the online work be graded?
It depends on the school district, but those like Wake County, Durham and Charlotte-Mecklenburg say the assignments will not be graded. They’re among the districts who are offering only review material for now.
But districts like Winston-Salem/Forsyth say the work matters and will be assessed and/or graded and reviewed. But Winston-Salem/Forsyth and Wake are telling families that it’s awaiting guidance from the state on how grades will be calculated in the future.
Will I get a computer to work from home?
Some districts are allowing students to check out computers if they don’t have their own. Wake County says it will contact families to see which ones need computers.
Some smaller districts already have programs where they gave computers to individual students for home use. Those districts are finding it easier to make the switch to digital learning.
The state Department of Public Instruction isn’t providing families with computers or reimbursing districts that buy computers or hot spots due to the coronavirus. But DPI does have information at https://sites.google.com/dpi.nc.gov/remote-learning-resources/home/mobile-devices on free and low-cost vendors who will provide computers to families.
How can I get broadband access?
Spectrum has agreed to provide free service for the next 60 days to families who don’t already have internet access through the company. Districts are urging families to contact Spectrum by calling 844-488-8395 to get broadband access.
Once more families get computers and reliable internet access, it’s expected to speed up the usage of distance learning by schools.
How will the online lessons be taught?
It’s unclear how the lessons will be taught when the switch is made to new material.
Teachers may do the lessons live. They may also record the lessons and establish times during the day when they’re available to take questions from students.
Schools are asking families to be patient and recognize that teachers are having challenges dealing with the closures as well. Wake says teachers will have “virtual office hours” to take questions from parents and students.
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How will I take Advanced Placement exams?
The school closures came as many high school students were preparing for the Advanced Placement exams scheduled for May.
The exams are normally taken at school. But because of the closures, the College Board has announced that this year it will allow students to take the exams from home.
The College Board says the exam will only cover material normally covered through March to be fair to the different dates when schools closed across the nation. The College Board is also providing free remote learning resources. More information can be found at https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update.
AP classes are popular because they allow students to boost their grade-point-average. A high-enough score on the exam can also lead to college credit.
How will high school seniors complete their courses to graduate?
Details are still being worked out for the state’s 100,000 high school seniors to complete their remaining courses so they can graduate this spring.
One of the options being considered is to have seniors take their courses through the N.C. Virtual Academy, a state-run online program. Normally it’s used by students to take classes not offered at their high school.
Are there any good free resources for learning from home?
There are a number of free resources available to help families with online learning. Here are some websites with links:
▪ DPI Remote Sources Learning website: https://sites.google.com/dpi.nc.gov/remote-learning-resources/home
▪ Public School Forum of North Carolina: https://www.ncforum.org/coronavirus/
▪ N.C. Department of Cultural Resources: https://www.ncdcr.gov/things-do/nclearnhome
▪ Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools resources: https://www.chccs.org/Page/10505
▪ Orange County Schools resources: https://bit.ly/2WA9xCV
Have you got some questions about how digital learning can help? The News & Observer wants to help. You can send them to bit.ly/virusnc.
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 9:16 AM.
