More than 30% of large school districts keeping COVID-era remote learning options

A new study found that 31% of big city school districts will continue using remote learning options established during the coronavirus pandemic.

Researchers from the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a non-profit research center at Arizona State University, also determined that 35% of large districts would be scrapping all remote educational options.

And 34% of these districts would keep in place remote learning methods that were started before the pandemic.

The review from Cara Pangelinan and Bree Dusseault was first published Monday by non-profit news site The 74 Million.

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“The distinct approaches of America’s 100 largest districts suggest that most are jettisoning remote learning entirely, or reverting back to programs that existed before the pandemic forced them to swiftly provide all families with some sort of online option,” read the review.

“The discontinuation of virtual programs launched during COVID shutdowns could mean they weren’t as effective or popular as those already in place before the pandemic upended America’s education systems in early 2020,” the review continued.

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This fall, fewer students in large districts will be able to utilize remote learning programs, as 46% of these districts offered all their students a remote option compared to 56% last year. 

Detroit Public Schools is now limiting enrollment eligibility for its online program after struggling with students who were chronically absent. This year, the school system is not accepting students in grades three through 12 who were chronically absent last year and failed at least one core academic class, or students in kindergarten through second grade who were chronically absent in 2021-22.

But other large districts, like Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia, have expanded remote options amid demand from parents.