Wake students with no computers will soon get them from county so they can learn at home
The Wake County school system will deliver devices to families who don’t have a computer at home as it ramps up efforts to educate students while schools are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wake County school officials said Tuesday they’re working to identify which families don’t have the technology at home to do remote learning. Wake is also working on how to get computers into those students’ hands, potentially having school bus drivers deliver them.
Currently, Wake has posted ungraded practice and review material on a website (https://sites.google.com/wcpss.net/instructional-continuity-wcpss) that families can use. But once families get the equipment and teachers have received training, Edward McFarland, Wake’s chief academic advancement officer, said the district will be ready to begin phase 2 of its remote learning plan.
“Preparation materials for new learning are already underway and teachers have already planned some of their instruction for the rest of the year,” McFarland said at a news conference Tuesday. “We know that they are ready to engage weekly with their students and we are eager to turn them loose.”
Some parents have complained about the delay in teaching new material. The school district told families on Tuesday that it’s in “unprecedented times” making the switch to remote learning.
“WCPSS is developing a comprehensive remote learning plan that best meets the needs of all 162,000 students,” the district said in an email Tuesday to parents. “You can expect a few bumps along the way, but we will do whatever is necessary to ensure that our students have the opportunities that they need and deserve.”
McFarland said the switch to full remote learning where teachers will be offering new material will begin April 6 for year-round students. He said it will begin for traditional-calendar students on April 13.
School districts across North Carolina have had to accelerate their remote learning plans after Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order Monday keeping all K-12 public schools closed through May 15. Students face two months of not being able to go to school buildings.
Teachers are expected to give students assignments to prepare them for the new material by the end of next week, according to Drew Cook, Wake’s assistant superintendent for academics.
As it gets into April, McFarland said it will become more structured with schedules for students to go online and “virtual office hours” for teachers to take questions from parents and students.
“It will not look like a traditional school day,” McFarland said. He said Wake is waiting for more information from the state Department of Public Instruction.
Questions such as how grades will be issued in these new online classes isn’t known yet.
Equity in computer and internet access
Equity has been a major concern for school officials at the local and state level. The switch to distance learning could leave behind low-income students who don’t have computers and broadband access at home.
Spectrum has agreed to provide free service for the next 60 days to families who don’t already have internet access through the company. Wake is urging families to contact Spectrum by calling 844-488-8395 to get broadband access.
McFarland said Wake may provide hotspot devices as well as computers to students.
Some smaller North Carolina districts already have programs in place to provide computers for students to take home with them. The coronavirus closures are causing other districts to reach into their supplies to give to families.
Wake has extra computers to give to students since the school board voted in October to buy 17,000 new laptop computers to give to school employees. McFarland said they’re working this week to finish getting those new computers into the hands of teachers, with the old devices being given to students who need them.
“We trust our students,” McFarland said. “We trust our parents to take care of the equipment and to return them. That is our expectation.”
Marlo Gaddis, Wake’s chief technology officer, said families who have iPads and iPhones at home don’t need district devices. Families who get computers from the district will receive technical support, she said.
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 4:34 PM.
