Nontraditional instruction, remote learning, online or virtual school: Whatever you call it, the plan that JCPS board members approved Tuesday night for the start of the 2020-21 school year has students continuing to learn from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students, teachers, parents and other Jefferson County Public Schools employees undoubtedly have questions about how the new academic year will work.
JCPS officials are still working on finding solutions to some key issues ahead of the first day of school on Aug. 25, but they've also provided some answers and specifics.
Here's what to know about the "NTI 2.0" plan for the start of the upcoming school year.
How many weeks will students learn from home?
Under the NTI 2.0 plan, the district's 98,000 students will participate in remote learning for at least six weeks.
After that time, JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio will "assess all available information, data and public health guidance, and make a determination whether to continue NTI, or move to the in-person and virtual class options," according to the plan.
During Tuesday's meeting, several JCPS board members asked Pollio about the possibility of NTI continuing throughout the fall and into 2021.
"We're encouraging our school leaders that they're going to have to be flexible," Pollio said. "We'll take feedback along the way and make adjustments and changes as needed. I think that will be critical as we move forward."
News: JCPS board approves remote learning plan for the start of new school year amid COVID-19 spike
What COVID-19 benchmarks must be met for a return to school?
Pollio has said JCPS does not have a specific COVID-19 benchmark that it will use to determine when it's safe to resume in-person classes.
But he has stressed they will need to see a “significant decline” in cases, especially among children, before schools can reopen.
Shortly before the JCPS board meeting Tuesday, Louisville officials reported 148 new COVID-19 cases, which brought the city to over 5,300 total confirmed cases and resulted in Mayor Greg Fischer extending a state of emergency through August.
And Gov. Andy Beshear also announced Tuesday the state had 674 new COVID-19 cases — the second-highest daily total for Kentucky during the pandemic — and three new deaths.
Tuesday's new cases included 23 children under the age of 5, according to Beshear.
Pollio cited the increasing case counts at the local and state levels in explaining his NTI recommendation.
And he also pointed to how "thousands" of teachers, staff and students "are in the high-risk category" for contracting the virus or live with someone who is in that category.
Pollio said Tuesday he is "more confident than ever" that JCPS is making the right decision in starting the school year virtually "for at least six weeks until we can ensure that ... the safety and health of our faculty, staff and students is ensured."
A 24-page manual from JCPS, titled "Onward Together," describes its planning for the new school year and also includes "global assumptions" about COVID-19.
Among the assumptions are that a vaccine will not be "developed in time to impact the 2020-21 school year" and there "may be multiple 'waves' of virus outbreak and changing guidance from health officials, which will necessitate continuing operational flexibility."
Whenever schools reopen, JCPS will also offer a "full-time online virtual class option for those families who do not wish to return to in-person classes," according to the NTI plan.
How is NTI 2.0 different than in the spring?
After the first cases of COVID-19 hit Kentucky in March, leaders in JCPS and school districts across the commonwealth had to quickly put together at-home learning plans.
The rollout of the NTI model was not without its flaws, as perhaps was to be expected amid a sudden public health crisis.
But JCPS leaders say they are taking the lessons learned from the spring to improve things for the fall.
The NTI 2.0 model will feature "more synchronous, robust and engaging instructional components, and greater supports for students and families," according to the plan.
In the spring, JCPS mostly operated on an "asynchronous" model, in which teachers sent students their assignments to complete on their own time.
The "synchronous" instruction planned for this fall means students and teachers will interact and learn online at the same together.
JCPS Chief Academic Officer Carmen Coleman has said NTI 2.0 will treat at-home learning "much more like the typical expectations of school" and feature "a variety of learning experiences."
"What we don't want is anybody, a kid or a grown-up, sitting in front of a computer nonstop for eight hours," Coleman said last week. "… We want them doing things with their hands and moving around."
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Paper-based materials will be available as well for any students who have issues accessing the internet, according to officials.
Pollio also said Tuesday that the district wants to "standardize" the tools and resources that teachers use with students and parents in order to make the learning process smoother.
Coleman added that "we do want to ensure our families that there will be consistency across schools, across classrooms and even across levels."
"We also know that our students have individualized programming, and we will keep that going for them," Coleman said.
Coleman referred to students in programs or categories such as gifted and talented, advanced placement, English as a second language and special education, saying officials "want to be sure that we are meeting those needs."
If done safely, JCPS may also open in-person "learning hubs" in schools or community buildings, according to Pollio.
A limited number of at-risk or high-need students, including those who are homeless, learning English or struggling in school, could come to the hubs to receive services.
Those students would remain spaced out throughout the building, and Pollio said the district might work with the Jefferson County Teachers Association to provide additional stipends for staff who are willing to work in the learning hubs.
“What we would like to do is have opportunities for kids to receive services, meals, access to Wi-Fi or computers if they need it,” Pollio said.
How can students get hot spots and Chromebooks?
A district spokesman said JCPS will have information available in the next two weeks on how students can request a Chromebook and/or Wi-Fi hotspot.
In the spring, JCPS distributed Chromebook laptops to nearly 22,000 families, but it was still not enough to help every student in need.
Households with multiple children, for example, were able to receive only one laptop — forcing siblings to schedule their schoolwork around one another.
JCPS officials have pledged to get a Chromebook to every student who needs one this upcoming year, reiterating Tuesday how 30,000 additional Chromebooks were ordered this summer and the district's inventory is now up to around 80,000 laptops.
Pollio added that he believes JCPS could acquire one Chromebook for every one of the district's nearly 100,000 students by some point in 2021.
The district was "very fortunate to get out ahead of" a nationwide surge in Chromebook orders that may leave some school districts without more laptops until next spring, JCPS Chief Information Officer Kermit Belcher said.
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JCPS also now has over 10,000 wireless internet hot spots available for students to use, but Belcher called it a "short-term solution."
For a "long-range solution," the district continues to explore partnerships with the city and private companies to ensure all students have internet access.
Students who received Chromebooks last spring have been able to hold on to them for any summer learning programs, and Pollio said JCPS has encouraged those students to keep them for the fall.
Officials said they also have records of which students have Chromebooks in order to ensure they do not receive a second computer.
As in the spring, school buildings will act as the pick-up sites for Chromebooks, but officials say more logistics are still being worked out.
Leaders are also working with community organizations, such as the Louisville Urban League, to help out families who lack the transportation to get to the pick-up sites.
What school supplies are needed? And will there be orientation?
Details are still being worked out on the supplies question, but JCPS leaders said NTI "to-go kits" for students will include supplies and needed materials.
Alicia Averette, assistant superintendent for academic support programs, said "virtual home visits" will be held for teachers to connect with students and parents in early childhood programs and go over any technology-related questions or concerns.
Pollio said teachers, who will begin their year on Aug. 10, may have opportunities between that date and Aug. 25 to hold in-person orientations with small numbers of students. Virtual orientations are also planned.
"That could provide a safe environment for kids where they could meet their teacher, they could pick up packets around expectation and things like that," Pollio said. "We want young kids especially to be able to put a name and a face together with the teacher. We'll have to once again monitor that to make sure that we can safely do that (and) not put staff or students or families at risk."
How will attendance and grading work?
Guidelines from the Kentucky Department of Education mention that participation will be mandatory during the NTI period.
Students can participate through one of four ways under state guidelines:
- One-on-video video call with a teacher (or teacher can talk with a parent with smaller children or students with special needs);
- Group video chats or calls between the teacher and a whole class or between a teacher and smaller groups of students within a class;
- Logging on and working through an online platform, such as Google Classroom, to complete assignments;
- Submitting paper-based assignments.
As for grading, the "Onward Together" manual from JCPS notes that "grading practices were a concern across the country in the spring as schools at all levels struggled with how to ensure that students were not penalized in some way for circumstances beyond their control."
"Moving forward — while still keeping in mind that students may be experiencing unknown challenges if we are forced to close again — grading practices will be more clearly defined and communicated," the manual says.
What about high school sports?
JCPS has not determined whether fall sports will take place, according to Pollio.
The superintendent has said JCPS is working with the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and will make a decision by Aug. 3, when practices are scheduled to begin.
Some board members discussed whether some fall sports like cross country could take place with safety guidelines in place.
"In the end, I have to go back to the guiding principle, which is health and safety first," Pollio replied.
He also noted that JCPS does not have the mass testing capabilities that professional and collegiate teams often have for their athletes.
KHSAA commissioner Julian Tackett: 'We are still planning for fall sports'
What will JCPS bus drivers, janitors and other support staff do?
Jimmy Adams, the district's head of human resources, said Tuesday that JCPS is working with unions on "possible other responsibilities" for certain district employees, like bus drivers, that will keep them employed during the NTI period.
What about child care if parents can't stay home?
JCPS spokesman Mark Hebert said child decisions are "for each parent to make."
"We do know that a number of community organizations and JCPS partners are looking at ways they can help families in this situation," Hebert added.
Some placement agencies in Louisville are offering "school share plans" to help parents find affordable child care options, as WAVE 3 News reported.
Will free meal sites stay open?
Yes, JCPS will continue to offer free breakfast and lunch meals to any child 18 and under at its more than 60 meal sites around the county
The sites are open each week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Since schools closed on March 13, the district says it has distributed more than 1.7 million meals.
More information on applying for the the free or reduced lunch program and the list of schools where every child, regardless of family income, can get a free meal is available on the JCPS website.
Read this: Here's where JCPS students can get free meals during school closures
What about college prep and testing?
Hebert, the JCPS spokesman, said many questions surrounding preparing for college and taking tests during the NTI period are currently without an answer.
"The College Board would decide if ACT and SAT tests will go on as scheduled. Scholarship info would lie with colleges and universities," Hebert said. "As for readiness to graduate — the standards and graduation requirements remain the same whether we are in school buildings, doing NTI or learning through a Virtual Academy — all of which may be part of students’ learning this school year."
Finally, when is the last day of school?
Thinking ahead just a few weeks during this pandemic seems like enough work, but the approved calendar for the upcoming JCPS year has May 27 as the last day of school for students.
Staff will end their year on May 28.
Students will have days off on Sept. 4, Sept. 7 (Labor Day) and Oct. 2 for the first part of the NTI period.
JCPS will continue school into June if any make-up days are also needed.
Have more questions and concerns about the NTI plan for the upcoming JCPS school year? Email bkobin@courierjournal.com, and this story may be updated. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.
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