Metro Nashville Public Schools students could find themselves learning from home again in the fall, until health officials are able grasp a hold of the coronavirus.
The district says they’ve been actively preparing for schools to reopen in August but are simultaneously working with city officials to strengthen virtual learning programs.
“Our board is in the process of crafting an operating budget proposal for the next fiscal year,” says Adrienne Battle, the director of Metro schools. She says the district is looking at ways to use federal COVID-19 relief funds to pay for schooling “in whatever format that looks like.”
The district is expected to receive $26 million in CARES Act funding to cover expenses related to its COVID-19 response. School leaders rolled out a district-wide remote learning plan late last month, lending thousands of laptops to students with technology needs.
Battle says it isn’t easy planning for the unknown next year, but that in-person, blended and all-remote classes are all on the table.
One reason to hold in-person classes in the fall is many working parents lack other options for child care.
Earlier this month, Alex Jahangir, chair of the Metro coronavirus task force, told businesses owners during a Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce call that getting schools back in session in the fall was a virtual requirement for successfully reopening the economy.
In the meantime, Battle says the district is developing an enhanced summer school option. She also says the district is optimistic about holding in-person graduation ceremonies in the summer.
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