This week in the Ed Lab: Are Fresno teachers ready for fall distance learning?

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Hello education readers,

Parents are starting to have an idea of what schools will look like this fall. On Tuesday, Central Unified schools rolled out their plans for the fall semester. Parents in Central have two options. The default program will be Central Unified Distance Learning. Parents can also opt to enroll their child in the Central Unified Home School program.

The home school program allows for more flexibility, while the distance learning program has stricter guidelines. As schools throughout Fresno County roll out their plans, a primary concern among parents, teachers, staff, and elected officials is making sure students are engaging with the learning while also providing emotional support amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Should schools start a little later?

In Fresno Unified, teachers are thinking starting classes Aug. 17 may be a little too ambitious. The Ed Lab’s Monica Velez spoke to representatives from the teachers union to determine why they feel starting classes later might be best for both teachers and students.

Teachers are scrambling to prepare online sessions while districts plan to give out devices and textbooks while adhering to social distancing.

Will smaller Fresno-area schools reopen campuses?

Some smaller and some private schools in Fresno County say they’ll seek a waiver from the governor’s office to reopen campuses for traditional classroom instruction.

A few rural public schools have already indicated that they will fill out a waiver, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, Jim Yovino told the Ed Lab’s Ashleigh Panoo.

Big Creek School, north of Shaver Lake, is one. Hume Lake Charter School, outside of Kings Canyon National Park, also indicated it would submit to reopen its campuses.

“In Fresno County, I have school districts that have 73,000 students,” Yovino said, “and I have some school districts like Big Creek, who have 46 kids, and they have no positive cases.”

Yovino said health department officials are preparing criteria that schools would have to meet for approval. He said it wouldn’t be much different from what Newsom asks for, such as a decline in positive cases and hospitalizations.

Digital divide

It’s no secret California has serious issues when it comes to equitable access to the Internet, and Fresno is no different. During the spring, we reported about the lack of access students had to laptops and WiFi. We want to learn how to close the digital divide, and we need your help. Please fill out and share our survey. We want to hear from parents and students. Let us know whether or not you have access to the Internet. Digital Divide Survey

In Case You Missed It

A teacher from Central Unified was placed on leave after nearly a dozen former students took to social media to say he made them uncomfortable with this alleged requests to shoot “risque” photos. Check out Monica Velez’s story here.

Ask the Ed lab

Do you have an education question you’d like us to answer? Let us know! Contact the Ed Lab edlab@fresnobee.com.

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab here.

This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 8:28 AM.