By LARRY LANNAN
The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board has an important decision to make on virtual learning options for the coming school year. The first will come tonight.
Dr. Matt Kegley, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning, outlined options for a virtual learning program for the 2021-2022 school year. There are two options before the board, and board members discussed whether to decide at tonight’s regular board meeting or postpone the vote to May 12.
Kegley’s first option, which he recommends, would provide virtual learning for grades K-6 using HSE teachers instructing virtually, and grades 7-12 to use Indiana Online, an outside organization, to provide the virtual learning option. The class offerings would have some differences compared to the secondary classes offered in-person locally. Extra-curricular activities would be very limited for virtual students.
The second option would have HSE teaching staff instruct all online classes, grades K-12.
No teacher layoffs would happen under either option, Kegley told the board.
Kegley’s proposal calls for a commitment to be made by parents and students for the coming school year for at least the first semester of classes during a sign-up window, May 3-14.
Some board members expressed a desire to delay any decision until May 12, but that would greatly shorten the timeline for signup. A May 5 webinar is scheduled for families with students K-6 considering virtual learning next school year. A webinar with Indiana Online could be scheduled as well, with no date set.
The original discussion with Indiana Online calls for HSE Schools to pay $2,800 annually per local student enrolled virtually, but Indiana lawmakers are only funding virtual students at 85 percent per student starting with the 2021-2022 school year. Kegley said that $2,800 figure could be reduced proportionally.
Students and parents could commit to virtual learning for the first semester of the coming school year, then return to in-person learning if electing to do so by a deadline established by the school district, possibly around the time of fall break. Depending on the number of students changing for second semester, some staff shuffling could be necessary.
Kegley says this 2021-2022 virtual offering will be available mainly for students with medical reasons to seek virtual classes, but only students not performing well currently virtually will be required to provide medical documentation to qualify for the virtual option next school year.
When asked by a board member, administrators said there are currently 4,892 students enrolled in virtual learning, 22.9 percent of the total student population. Kegley cautioned that the current enrollment virtually may be a choice families are making for a variety of reasons and may or may not be a predictor of how many students would opt for virtual learning in the coming school year.
For more details on the proposals, you can review Dr. Kegley’s PowerPoint presentation before the school board at this link.