Seattle Public Schools will continue remote education through the first semester until Jan. 28.
The district said its decision was based on increasing COVID-19 cases in King County, which have sharply risen over the past month amid record-breaking case counts nationwide. It also consulted with the Seattle Education Association, Seattle Council PTSA, and the Principals’ Association of Seattle Schools.
“There is also no guarantee that we will be able to increase in-person instruction next semester,” Superintendent Denise Juneau said in a letter to parents and staff sent Friday. “There are many factors that need to be considered, as we closely monitor King County COVID-19 transmission rates as well as disproportionate impacts on communities of color.”
(2/2) We are committed to working with families, students, and community to continually refine remote learning and support high quality instruction no matter the circumstances. A leadership team has been re-convened to inform next steps. Learn more: https://t.co/NZugizjjTg
— Seattle Public Schools (@SeaPubSchools) October 23, 2020
SPS first closed schools in March. At the time, it said it wouldn’t provide online learning, noting that not all students had access to computers and the internet. Over time, the district did begin offering digital instruction in various forms.
SPS previously proposed a hybrid approach, blending in-person and remote learning. But the school board approved a remote-only plan in August.
The school year got off to a rocky start last month with technical issues.
The district has approximately 54,000 students. It has a FAQ page here dedicated to remote learning.
Other school districts are also going fully remote. Boston school just this week went remote-only due to rising COVID-19 cases.
A key question that has been difficult to answer is the impact of school openings on COVID-19 transmission. Epidemiologists have urged decision makers and the public to embrace some nuance and flexibility in decisions about schools. That includes looking at elementary, middle and high school differently based on transmission and educational needs.
A University of Washington study looked at safety strategies being practiced at schools internationally, which included combinations of requiring masks, reducing the number of students per classroom, temperature checks, social distancing and increased handwashing. Some countries have limited in-person classes to younger students who appear to be at lower risk of contracting and spreading COVID and from experiencing more severe symptoms.
Remote learning is disproportionately harmful to kids who struggle with online learning and have less family support. Affluent families can supplement online education with tutoring and other services. Online learning is less effective for younger children, who also rely heavily on social interactions as an key component of their education. And there’s the tremendous challenge faced by parents who are juggling work, childcare and homeschooling.
Education experts discussed these issue this week during a panel about the future of education at the GeekWire Summit.
