Key Decisions for More Effective Distance Learning in the Fall

Originally published on FutureEd

From the beginning of the pandemic, school system leaders understood that some students would need a remote school option this coming school year. Now, with infection rates on the rise in many communities and some parents fearing for their family’s safety, K-12 leaders are facing the daunting challenge of creating higher quality remote-only schooling than they were able to deliver after schools shut down in March.

Through our work with district leaders to developCOVID Comeback School Models, ERS has identified three key decisions district leaders must make about remote school that have outsized impacts on cost and feasibility—and big policy implications.

Decision 1:How should remote school be staffed?

Decision 2: Will remote learning be linked to each student’s school or operate across multiple schools or the entire district?

Decision 3: Who will conduct the remote instruction?