Wake won’t bring Pre-K and some special-ed students back to campus Sept. 8 after all
The Wake County school system has delayed a plan to bring some of the district’s most vulnerable students back for in-person instruction shortly after Labor Day.
School officials had announced last month that their goal was to have special-education students in regional programs and Pre-K students back in school for face-to-face classes on Sept. 8. But in an online update posted Friday, the district announced that it can’t meet that timetable and that no new return date has been set.
“The target date of Sept. 8 for Special Education Regional Program and Pre-K students to return to school buildings was predicated on our ability to ensure sufficient staff, sufficient transportation service and sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) by that date,” the district posted Friday. “After assessing these three factors and soliciting feedback from staff members, we have determined we need more time to make sure all three of those dependencies can be met. “
It’s unclear when these Pre-K and special-education students will be back in school buildings. Earlier this week, the district said it’s hoping to begin bringing back the other students by late October or early November.
Wake is among the majority of North Carolina school districts that are beginning with online classes only because school leaders say it’s not yet safe to resume in-person instruction. The new school year begins for most students on Aug. 17.
Students have been learning from home since Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all K-12 public schools closed in mid-March to try to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Webinar scheduled for special-ed families
Parents of special-education students have been among the most vocal in complaining that their children’s needs aren’t being met by an online learning environment. Special-needs students in Wake’s regional programs have among the most severe learning challenges.
In the meantime, Wake is holding a webinar at 6 p.m. Tuesday for parents of students who receive Special Education Services. Topics covered will include the opening of school in an online environment, implementation of IEPs and special education services.
The video will be closed-captioned in English and Spanish. During the webinar, parents can share questions and feedback through an online form. Answers will be provided later in an FAQ.
The webinar will be on the school district’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/WakeCountySchools.
