New committees address schools reopening, digital divide

The president of the Idaho State Board of Education Debbie Critchfield says 75-80% of families say they intend to send their kids back to school.

Around 3% say they liked the virtual learning and are looking at other options.

WAYS TO GO BEFOREDISTRICTS AREREADY TO BRINGKIDS BACK.ACCORDING TO THEPRESIDENT OF THESTATE BOARD OFEDUCATION ... 75-80PERCENT OFFAMILIES SAY THEYINTEND TO SENDTHEIR KIDS BACK TOSCHOOL.AROUND 3 PERCENTSAY THEY LIKED THEVIRTUAL LEARNINGAND ARE LOOKING ATOTHER OPTIONS.AND ABOUT 20PERCENT SAYTHEY'RE UNSUREAND WANT TO SEEWHAT THECONDITIONS ARE LIKEWHEN RETURNING TOSCHOOL.IDAHO NEWS SIX'SJESSICA TAYLORSHARES HOW NEWCOMMITTEES HAVEFORMED TO PLANOUT THOSECONDITIONS FOR ASAFE RETURN."THE CHECKLIST FORREOPENING I THINKIS FAIRLY LENGTHYTWO NEWLY FORMEDCOMMITTEES HOPETO TICK DOWN THATLIST SOON.

THEIRFOCUSES AREREOPENING PUBLICSCHOOLS AND THEDIGITAL DIVIDE."BEYOND JUSTREOPENING WHICH INITSELF IS GOING TOBE A CHALLENGE, ITHINK A GREATERCHALLENGE AND THELARGER DISCUSSIONHERE IS WHATHAPPENS ONCEWE'RE IN SCHOOLAND THINGSCHANGE; SOMEONEIN THE SCHOOL LET'SSAY A STAFFMEMBERS CONTACTSCOVER OR ASTUDENT, HOW DOYOU HANDLE THIS IFIT'S ONE PERSON INONE CLASSROOM,HOW DOES THESCHOOL REACT, HOWDOES THECLASSROOM REACT,HOW DOES THEDISTRICT REACT,THERE'S NOSINGULARSTATEWIDEREOPENING OUTLINE."YOU'RE GOING TOSEE SOMEDIFFERENCES FROMDISTRICT TODISTRICT"BUT THERE WILL BESIMILARITIES WITHTHINGS LIKESANITATIONPROTOCOLS ANDPHYSICALDISTANCING."NOT BECAUSE IT'STHE STATE WANTINGNOT BEPRESCRIPTIVE, BUTITS JUST GENERAL,GOOD SANITATIONPROTOCOLS THATARE OUT THERES SOYOU'RE GOING TOSEE A LOT OFSIMILARITIES LIKETHAT"RURAL BROADBANDIS A PRIORITY FORTHE DIGITAL DIVIDECOMMITTEE.CRITCHFIELD SAYSTHEY'RE ALSOLOOKING FORBUSINESS PARTNERSTO PROVIDE ACTUALTECHNOLOGYSUPPORT.

RIGHTNOW, THEREOPENINGCOMMITTEE ISDISCUSSING THEIRTOP PRIORITIES."WE'RE TALKINGABOUT LIABILITYISSUES ARE PRESENTFOR SCHOOLDISTRICTS AS KIDSCOME BACK, WE'RETALKING ABOUTSTAFFING ISSUESAND OPERATIONALASPECTS ANDSTUDENTS LEARNINGAND FINALLY SOMETYPE OF TOOLKIT"THE COMMITTEESHAVE A TIGHTSCHEDULE.CRITCHFIELD SAYSON OR AROUND JUNE30 IS THE DATE THEYWILL PROVIDECONCRETERECOMMENDATIONSAND GUIDANCE TODISTRICTS ABOUTREOPENING PLANS.JESSICA TAYLORIDAHO NEWS SIX.JUST AS IMPORTANTAS HOW SCHOOLSWILL RETURN IN THEFALL .

IS WHATSTUDENT LEARNINGWILL LOOK LIKE.CRITCHFIELD SAYSTHE UNTRADITIONALSPRING MEANSSTUDENTS HAVESPENT MORE TIMEAWAY FROMTEACHERS AND WILLHAVE MORE CATCHUP WORK.SO IN ADDITION TOALL THEOPERATIONALQUESTIONS .DISTRICTS ALSOHAVE TO PLAN FORASSESSMENTS ANDGETTING KIDS ON