Nashville schools to start academic year remotely for all students as coronavirus cases mount - Tennessean

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Meghan Mangrum Nashville Tennessean

Published 11:53 AM EDT Jul 9, 2020

All Metro Nashville Public Schools students will start the academic year remotely as coronavirus cases continue to mount, Director of Schools Adrienne Battle told teachers and principals in a virtual meeting Thursday morning.

Battle's announcement comes ahead of a planned 1 p.m. news conference where she is expected to outline more details of how Metro Schools will reopen for class on Aug. 4. 

Instead of allowing families to choose from either in-person or remote learning options, all 86,000 students will start the school year learning from home starting in August.

Virtual instruction is expected to last until at least Labor Day. When students and teachers do return to school buildings, families will still have the option to keep their children at home and do remote learning. 

Battle has met with a variety of groups including students and teachers over the past several days to discuss the district's plan.

The announcement comes amid increased pressure on from President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Vice President Mike Pence on state leaders to reopen schools.

Trump put the nation's schools on notice Wednesday that he may cut their federal funding if they don't reopen their classrooms this fall, and DeVos said earlier this week “it’s not a question of if – it’s just a question of how” schools reopen this fall. 

More: 'Scared for my life,' but needing a salary: Teachers weigh risks as COVID-19 looms

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has not indicated that he will order schools to reopen as other states have done. At a news conference on Wednesday, Lee said he doesn't foresee any school districts not returning to the classroom this fall.

Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn, who joined Trump at a roundtable on reopening schools earlier this week, said the Tennessee Department of Education is working with school districts to meet their individual needs and ensure students continue learning whether they return in-person or are learning remotely. 

PREVIOUSLY: Nashville public school parents will have to choose between in-person or remote learning this fall

WARY PARENTS: Why Nashville parents, wary of sending students back to class, still worry about quality of remote learning

Battle's plan for Nashville parents to choose between two options was the frontrunner for the district's reopening strategy after a June 23 board meeting, but Mayor John Cooper's July 2 announcement that the city was moving back into a modified Phase 2 of reopening pushed back the district's own timeline. 

The city initially moved into Phase 3 of its "Road to Reopening" plan on June 18, which allowed for schools to open, but just before the Fourth of July weekend, Cooper moved the city back into a more restrictive phase due to rising numbers of the coronavirus.

On Thursday, Metro Nashville reported another 688 new coronavirus cases. And on Wednesday, Tennessee saw its worst day yet since the pandemic began, shattering its daily record for both new coronavirus infections and active infections. 

Cooper said Thursday morning it would be more expensive to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic, and the city was facing “missing resources.” Cooper said he would welcome federal funding to assist with reopening.

“There is nothing more important than getting our schools back," he said. "This is one of the most distressing things about outbreak and increase in cases is the impact on the schools."

Metro Nashville Education Association officials have spoken with teachers about their options ahead of Battle's announcement. 

Union President Amanda Kail told The Tennessean last week that she didn't think students and teachers should return to school campuses in August.

"I think that we can return on Aug. 4 if we are online, I don't think we need to put off the start date necessarily. I understand that online education for K-12 is really so, so far from ideal and I completely acknowledge that being physically in school is better for kids," Kail said at the time. "I don't see how we can go back in-person with the infection numbers being where they are." 

Starting the year online will pose challenges, many parents and educators say, including how some students will access instruction without laptops or internet access at home.

Gaps in internet access proved to be one of the biggest hurdles to distance learning after schools closed this spring. In Nashville schools, about 31% of students do not have a computer at home and nearly 20% do not have access to internet.

'COMPLEX' DECISIONS: Volatility and vertigo: Schools across Tennessee face complex decisions and anxious parents

MORE FROM METRO SCHOOLS: Metro school board members say they are skeptical of reopening schools, call for more funding during NOAH candidate forum

Questions about how the district will provide specialized services to students with disabilities and supports for English language learners or other specific populations are also still unanswered.

The district is expected to provide further information during this afternoon's news conference. 

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. 

Brett Kelman contributed to this story.

Meghan Mangrum covers education in Nashville for the USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee. Contact her at mmangrum@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.

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