Not just ‘flipping a switch.’ Wake defends how long it takes to move to remote learning.
Wake County school leaders are defending the pace at which they’re introducing remote learning, amid complaints from some parents that it’s taking too long to keep students educated during the closure.
All North Carolina public schools have been closed since March 16, with Wake County students receiving only review material online before new lessons are taught beginning in April. Wake school officials say that it’s taking time to train people and to get computers and printed material into the hands of students who don’t have the ability to use remote learning.
“I know that in a period where there’s a lot of uncertainty and anxiety, especially from parents, there’s a lot of demand for instant answers and instant fixes,” school board member Chris Heagarty said at Tuesday’s board meeting.
“It’s hard to explain to people in today’s internet age that we can’t just flip a switch and put all of our classrooms onto Zoom for everyone.”
But many of the comments at Tuesday’s board meeting were complaints that Wake isn’t offering new material online yet. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Tuesday’s meeting was held virtually, with people submitting their comments electronically.
Parents say Wake not moving fast enough
“Everywhere I look I see schools taking creative, proactive measures to continue education,” wrote Kimberly and Harrison Boyd, parents at Leesville Road Elementary School in Raleigh. “I don’t see our county showing the same level of creativity, perseverance and ingenuity.
“We are relying on you to carry us through this challenge; please start demonstrating that you are competent to do so.”
Schools around the world have had to switch to distance learning due to campuses being closed to try to slow the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. In the U.S. alone, more than 50 million students are at home now, according to Education Week.
Currently, all North Carolina public school buildings are required to be closed through May 15. But Gov. Roy Cooper could extend the closures through the end of the school year in June.
Some parents point to the examples of other large school districts that they say have reacted faster than Wake to handle online learning during the school closures. Wake is North Carolina’s largest school district, with 161,907 students.
“Today — more than other days — our students need you to lead,” wrote Alicia Smith. “They are actively withering away, losing their interest in learning, starving for direction and looking for anything that resembles ‘normal.’
“You have options to get them re-connected and learning — look to other counties and states who are already leading and follow their example.”
Some parents expressed frustration that Wake is waiting to get computers into the hands of students before beginning full remote instruction. Wake school officials say it’s an equity issue, but critics say the district shouldn’t hold back students who can learn new material online now.
“In the interim you can’t hold back the vast majority of students until the perfect solution is reached,” wrote Tom Joiner, a Cary parent. “Do something to get students who do have laptops and internet access learning quickly.
“Refine it to add more students who may need additional resources but it may take some time to get those resources.”
Creating remote learning plan takes time
School board member Bill Fletcher said people should “reflect on the complexity of creating a virtual school district in three weeks.” He said the public doesn’t see all of the challenges that staff had to work through to create the new learning plan.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day and nor will a robust, fully functioning distance learning program be built in a day,” Fletcher said. “I know that our people are working hard.
“They are looking at all the possibilities of how we can make good things happen for kids to support continued instruction and learning through this process.”
School administrators laid out Tuesday their timeline for the switch to full remote learning.
“This work is not just a matter of flipping a switch but rather a process,” said Drew Cook, Wake’s assistant superintendent for academics. “As such, I think you’ll see and hear that the timeline that we’ll share reflects a progressive ramping up of instruction as we move from optional practice and review to a continuing learning approach that can and will include new content.”
Review materials will be available this week and next week at https://sites.google.com/wcpss.net/instructional-continuity-wcpss for students to use.
Teachers will receive training this week and next week on how to teach lessons remotely. Cook said students will be able to go online next week to be trained in how to use the new remote learning platform.
Starting April 1, teachers will post assignments online to prepare students for the launch of full remote learning on April 6 at year-round schools and April 13 at traditional-calendar schools.
“We are eager to return to some sense of normalcy around connecting with our students, both emotionally and online, and continuing with our core mission: teaching and learning,” said Edward McFarland, Wake’s chief academic advancement officer.
This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 4:27 PM.
