NSJ: Remote Learning deemed ‘disaster’ at K-12 committee meeting

RALEIGH – As several school districts around the state announce a return to fully remote instruction out of fear of rising coronavirus numbers, a state legislative committee focused on K-12 education is calling the online-only education a ‘disaster.’

A.P. Dillon of North State Journal (NSJ) reports on a committee meeting held this week in which lawmakers evaluate the public schools’ approach and fortunes while comparing to those of charter and private schools.

From NSJ (emphasis added):

“[…] The main agenda item for the committee was an update on the “Implementation of Remote Instruction” from officials with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) that included Dr. David Stegall, NCDPI’s deputy superintendent of innovation, and Freebird McKinney, director of legislative and community affairs for the N.C. State Board of Education.

The key highlights of the report include 18% of districts are using Plan C, which is remote instruction only. Additionally, 59% of N.C. students are learning in-person, and an alarming 19% of remote instruction students are missing “at least two days a week.”

In his remarks, Stegall indicated that students who are not attending are missing more classes than normal. He said it is likely there will be higher failure rates for the fall semester, graduation rates will drop and a likelihood of large numbers of students who will need to repeat a grade. […]”

Yes, disaster is a good term to describe the situation if providing children with a sound education is the purpose of our public school system, as outlined in the N.C. Constitution.

Moreover, lawmakers on the committee asked pointed questions about why private schools were somehow able to operate in-person instruction without significant issues, while public schools in the same community felt compelled to shutdown everything.

Learn more about the lawmakers’ meeting on this virtual disaster, and the responses from education bureaucrats, here.