East Lake Norman News

A majority of North Carolina public school students will begin the 2020-2021 school year learning at home in front of a device.

Less than two weeks after Gov. Roy Cooper said that North Carolina public schools would open under a hybrid in-person and remote learning setup, more than 50% of the state's school districts are opting to start the school year with all-remote instruction, WFAE reported on July 24. Some districts that had previously planned to open under a hybrid model have revised that decision and decided to start with remote learning. 

Each school district also has to offer a full-time all-remote option, WFAE reported. Wake County had drawn nearly 80,000 students by the time its first round of virtual enrollment closed. 

Even though many experts agree that getting students back in the classroom as soon as possible is the best option when it can be done safely, there are also concerns that not enough is known about COVID-19 to ensure that a return is safe.

Many districts surrounding Mecklenberg have opted for the hybrid model, WFAE reported. With this model, students will attend schools in-person part of the week and learn remotely the rest of the week. Conversely, the Charlotte-Mecklenberg district will go fully remote learning. As part of its plan, the district will provide students with electronic devices and a two-week training period to learn about remote instruction. 

Opinions are also varied among charter and private schools with some opting for an in-person return, WFAE reported, while others choose to begin remotely and look to onsite instruction in the future.

Schools that do operate by Plan B have some things to figure out, including how to make sure students are socially distanced on the school bus, in the cafeteria and in the classroom, WFAE reported. They also have to determine the best way to do temperature checks and isolate students who present with symptoms. Sports, band and other extracurricular activities are also being reconsidered.