What will school look like in the fall? MPS explores possible options

Stung by criticism over its slow pivot to virtual learning as the coronavirus pandemic shuttered schools this spring, Milwaukee Public Schools is taking the lead in rolling out its options for resuming instruction in the fall.

The district this week unveiled the various scenarios it is considering, from virtual classes only to hybrid in-person and online instruction; keeping high schoolers online but returning younger students to schools; and returning to the neighborhood schools model, which would dramatically reduce the district's reliance on busing.

Each scenario presents significant challenges — around technology, logistics, training, and getting parents informed and on board. Those challenges could be acute in a district with 75,000 students and 10,000 employees in more than 100 schools. 

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MPS — and other districts across the state and nation — are planning amid a host of unknowns, including how their budgets will be affected by the coronavirus and the prospect that cases may surge again in the fall.

"This plan is a draft that's in progress. It's not final," said MPS Superintendent Keith Posley, who walked board members through the possibilities at a committee meeting Tuesday night.

"But we must have a blueprint in place in order to be prepared for the coming school year."

The draft envisions three possibilities: that schools would remain closed in the fall; that schools would be open, but limited by social distancing requirements; and that schools would open as usual, but with some modifications.

Here's a glimpse at what the plan calls for in each scenario: 

If schools remain closed

MPS said it is taking steps to make sure it can deliver virtual learning for all students, including making sure it has enough laptops and other devices and that all student homes have internet access.

It said it is working with the state Department of Public Instruction to make sure instructional requirements are met, and seeking waivers for any requirements that can't be met virtually.

Because students learn best in face-to-face settings, the plan says, the district would prioritize "synchronous instruction" — think Zoom meetings and other platforms where teachers and students can interact in real time.

Teachers and other school staff may need to return to schools, unless that's prohibited by state or local health departments. 

If schools reopen, but with social-distancing

One option being considered is a four-day week in which students attend school one or two days, then get written materials or online instruction for the others. The fifth day would leave time for professional development, planned days off and record keeping. And students would have the option of additional remote learning.

Other options include splitting the student population in half, then having those groups attend school every other week, with print and online instruction at home in between; or bringing back only elementary school students — spreading them across the entire district — and leaving high schoolers to continue at home online.

If schools return to normal — sort of

Even if schools reopen without social-distancing restrictions, some changes could be necessary. If, for example, schools can't reopen until September, MPS would need to ditch its early-start calendar, in which about a third of the schools start in August.

Schools and programs would likely operate much as they have in the past. But that's assuming everyone shows up.

A national poll by USA Today released this week found that 1 in 5 teachers said they may not return to schools if they reopen in the fall. And 60% of parents said they were likely to pursue online learning opportunities for their children rather than send them back to the classroom.

"A lot of people are torn," parents and teachers alike, said Melissa Patterson, a special education teacher at Forest Avenue School in Milwaukee. 

"There are parents who want their kids back in school because that's where they're getting the social aspect. And learning online is completely different from learning in the classroom," she said. "At the same time, they don't want their kids to go back if it's not going to be safe."

A cascade of considerations

All of the options pose a host of other considerations for MPS, which at this point has many questions about what its 2020-21 revenues will look like. 

Amping up virtual learning, for example, means ensuring all students and staff have adequate technology and internet access, which proved difficult, even on a smaller scale, as MPS moved to online learning this spring.

To bring that districtwide, it may need to add or replace virtual platforms, add IT staff and offer ongoing training for staff, the district said.

Imposing social distancing requirements would likely also affect busing, already one of MPS' largest budget items at about $74 million a year. One option, Posley said Tuesday, may be to return to the neighborhood school model, in which students are assigned to schools by geographic area.

Buildings and classrooms would need to be reconfigured and cleaned and disinfected regularly.

And regardless of the mode of instruction, it will likely be a school year like no other, as teachers and students tackle new academic content amid technological challengers and schools work to catch students up after months away.

Angela Harris of the Black Educators Caucus called on board members Tuesday to ensure that all students have access to quality instruction.

"We need to ensure that every school has the resources they need to be successful," she said.

Contact Annysa Johnson at anjohnson@jrn.com or 414-224-2061. Follow her on Twitter at @JSEdbeat. And join the Journal Sentinel conversation about education issues at www.facebook.com/groups/WisconsinEducation.