(WTTW News)
As any student – and their parents – knows full well, Illinois schools will be closed for the remainder of the school year; all school work is now homework.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Sunday that educators should be prepared to stay that course in case their doors have to remain closed this fall.
“I would prepare for both (remote and regular classes) because it is still unclear what things will look like,” the Democratic governor said. “I would encourage administrators and teachers to work very hard on making sure that’s available (e-learning) just in case.”
Pritkzer said it’s important that schools develop e-learning plans regardless of whether the pandemic requires classrooms to be closed in the next school year.
“What we’ve learned in that short period of time is that many, many schools are not ready for e-learning but should be,” Pritkzer said. “I think that in the future we’ll be using e-learning more and more, even in the absence of a pandemic, along with in-person learning.”
Pritkzer said Illinois is offering districts funding to help them devise e-learning programs.
Relying on internet learning poses challenges: not every family has or can afford computers, tablets and internet service. In some rural areas, quality internet service isn’t a reliable option.
In mid-April, the state released a map of Wi-Fi hot spots “to help students across the state who lack internet access in their homes.”
More guidance on e-learning and education during the pandemic from the Illinois State Board of Education is available here, here and here.
Follow Amanda Vinicky on Twitter: @AmandaVinicky
