How Will Alabama Public Schools Look in 2020-2021?
Alabama Public Schools are slowly making the transition back to some form of in-person instruction.
Starting on June 1st with summer school, some students and teachers will return to the classroom. Some schools will continue to offer virtual instruction in summer.
State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey says there will be limits to the number of students that can be let into a classroom, and social distancing will be enforced.
“It’s not going to look like a normal summer school,” says Mackey.
Many parents are concerned with what the state plans to do for the beginning of 2020-2021 school year in the fall.
Dr. Mackey says that parents will have the option for children to take online instruction, or in person instruction.
The state is accepting proposals from private companies to come in and present how they could provide virtual school opportunities for students across the state.
The selected company would be paid with federal dollars, and students would still be enrolled in their local school districts.
“That’s important,” says Mackey. “The students would still be enrolled in their local school, and not some virtual platform based in another state.”
According to Dr. Mackey the state is still building a “road map” for the 2020-2021 school year, and much of the plan will depend on the status of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We certainly have not laid out any particular rules at this point for next fall. Not about facial covering, about seating in the classrooms, or walking down the hallways,” says Mackey.
The State School Board is expected to have a plan in place by June 19.
