Is your child struggling with online learning? Manatee district wants them back in school

The School District of Manatee County is urging students to return for in-person classes if they fell behind or failed to show up for online learning during the first semester of the 2020-21 school year.

At the direction of Richard Corcoran, the state’s education commissioner, other schools throughout Florida are doing the same. According to a letter obtained by the Bradenton Herald, families in Manatee County have already started to hear from the district.

“Currently, our school records indicate that your child is still having difficulty completing his/her school work using the School District of Manatee County’s eLearning system,” the letter states.

“Regretfully, considering your child’s continued difficulties, the School District of Manatee County will be removing him/her from the eLearning roster,” it continues. “We believe that the best alternative for your child is to return to his/her ‘Brick and Mortar’ school site.”

Classes in the Manatee County School District resume on Wednesday, and according to Corcoran’s Nov. 30 order, parents and guardians can make the final decision about their child’s education.

Along with in-person classes, families have the option to choose several online programs or home schooling.

Manatee’s hybrid option, a mix of online and in-person classes, will not be an option in the second semester, Deputy Superintendent Genelle Yost confirmed. The program had already shrunk to a handful of schools by late October, the result of limited interest and scheduling problems.

Alternatives to ‘brick-and-mortar school’

As an alternative to Schoology, the district’s online learning platform, families can enroll their child in Florida Virtual School, K-12 Academy or Manatee County Home School, the letter explains, going on to issue a stern warning.

“Failure to select any of the above options is considered non-compliant with the State of Florida Compulsory Education Statues, thus having your child withdrawn from his/her school of enrollment,” the letter concludes.

The state order requires schools to notify families of their child’s academic decline and “any associated education risks.” However, it allows parents and guardians to keep their children in online learning by giving “written acknowledgment” of their choice.

Manatee’s consent form issues another strong warning before laying out the agreement to stick with online classes.

“The failure of your child to return to a traditional brick and mortar school for instruction can create further detriment to the education of your child,” it reads. “This will have a direct impact on the education of your child and deprive your child of additional academic interventions and support.”

“Despite such recommendations to return your child to a traditional brick and mortar school, it has and remains your intent as a parent and legal guardian of your child to have your child remain in the innovative learning modality,” the form continues.

For some, the benefits of a classroom education outweigh the dangers of COVID-19. Other parents and students, especially those with underlying health conditions, are concerned about the crowded hallways and classrooms in a traditional school.

Between Aug. 17 to Dec. 18, district schools and offices recorded 419 COVID-19 cases and nearly 4,500 exposures, meaning someone was in close contact with a positive case.

And with the return of more students to in-person classes, the ability to social distance — a key measure against COVID-19 — will be more challenging.

“School districts and charter schools must not unreasonably restrict the decision of a parent or guardian to alter the learning modality (in-person, innovative, virtual) that best suits their child’s needs,” Corcoran said in his order.

In an interview last month, Superintendent Cynthia Saunders said that Schoology, the district’s online learning platform, may not be suitable for all families. Programs like Florida Virtual School offer a different pace and format while still allowing students to learn safely from home.

Students’ test results vary

She also echoed the state’s education commissioner, pointing to the success of in-person classes and the issue of truancy among some online students.

Testing in Quarter One — from Aug. 17 to Oct. 9 — showed that in-person students fared better than online learners and, in most cases, hybrid students. The data was included in Manatee’s plan for the second semester.

For example, out of 2,109 high school students who took the science exam, 72 percent of in-person students were deemed “proficient.” In comparison, 63 percent of hybrid students and 62 percent of online students achieved the same rating.

Out of 6,787 middle school students who took the math exam, 59 percent of in-person students achieved proficiency. In comparison, 58 percent of hybrid students and 55 percent of online students were deemed proficient.

Out of the 8,377 elementary students who took the English language arts assessment, 53 percent of in-person students earned a proficient score. In comparison, 54 percent of hybrid students and 51 percent of online students achieved the same.

The document also includes students who were marked as DNE, or “did not enter.” The code is used by the Florida Department of Education to label any K-12 student “who was expected to attend a school but did not enter as expected for unknown reasons.”

Between the end of 2019-2020 and the start of this school year, as students moved to online learning, district employees worked to track down missing students. There were five DNEs as of mid-December, down from 1,600 in late August, according to district records.

“Our graduation enhancement techs (G.E.T.S) and social workers do frequent home checks. . . . We also partner with our various law enforcement agencies in the most extreme cases.”

In a prepared statement on Dec. 16, just before the holiday break, Deputy Superintendent Yost said it was unclear how many online students would be asked to return for in-person classes.

“The process is ongoing and our schools have been and are continuing to communicate regularly with families of struggling learners,” she wrote. “Those conversations will continue into the second semester.”

This story was originally published January 1, 2021 at 5:00 AM.