CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Many school districts have transitioned to remote, virtual, or eLearning days due to the winter weather. Pre-pandemic many schools would have opted for traditional snow days. They may not have had the ability to transition to virtual learning for the entire district.
Each district handles learning away from the classroom differently.
South Carolina
In South Carolina, eLearning days are used if students can’t be in the classroom for things like weather, power outages, or water main breaks. It prevents the districts from calling a traditional snow day and having to make up instructional time later in the year. South Carolina School can have 5 eLearning days per school year.
The South Carolina Department of Education requires districts who apply for eLearning Days to prove to SCDOE:
- Students have access of students to devices.
- Teachers’ are familiar with and can use the Learning Management System.
- The district’s technology infrastructure is capable.
- What is the current status of the district’s ability to use instructional technology in the overall learning process is.
- The district’s interest and support of participating in the pilot.
Using E-Learning days in schools also counts as an instructional day for the student. They will not have to make it up later in the year.
In a letter to parents, Chesterfield County Schools Superintendent Harrison Goodwin explained how students will navigate eLearning during winter weather.
“Students have a window of time to complete schoolwork. Since there is a window of time to complete work, students without power or internet are not penalized,” the online letter said. “Students have five school days after they return from the school closure to complete eLearning assignments.”
In York School District One students also have an extended time to turn in work.
“For attendance purposes, when students submit their work they’ll receive attendance credit for the day,” Tim Cooper, a spokesperson for York School District One, said in an email. “Students will have five days to submit the work once we return. We will work with students who lack internet access at home to ensure they are able to submit their work.”
The eLearning days system for South Carolina School was created pre-pandemic. eLearning days cannot be used for issues related to COVID-19.
According to SCDOE, each district should have three days already in the annual academic calendar to be used as make-up days. School districts are required to have 180 days of instructional learning.
If a school district is closed for three days and is not participating in eLearning, the closures must be made up with the reserved make-up days in the calendar.
If a school district is closed for four days and is not participating in eLearning, the additional day of closure can be made up in several ways:
- Waived by the local school board.
- Made up by lengthening the school by no less than one hour.
- Having school on a Saturday.
If a school is closed for up to six days and is not participating in eLearning, the additional days of closure past day three can be waived. Students will not have to make them up. For example: If a school is closed for six days due to a flood, the first three days must be made up. Days four through six can be waived by the local school board with a majority vote. The school days can also be lengthened by no less than one hour or having Saturday school.
If seven to nine days are missed, the issue of makeup days must be brought to the State Board of Education in order to have the days waived. Anything past 10 days missed must be taken to the General Assembly.
North Carolina
In North Carolina school districts also have the discretion to declare a snow day or remote learning for students in cases of bad weather.
One Catawba County Schools parent said she prefers remote learning instead of snow days.
“It's not like the teachers aren't doing their job, because they are,” Liliana Garcia said.
She has two children in the district. One is in kindergarten. The other is in third grade.
Garcia works part-time and has more flexibility with virtual learning. She recognizes all parents are unable to do this.
The Catawba County School District (CCS) has taken two traditional snow days this winter. The district decided students would not have to make them up.
The district cited a North Carolina law that requires school districts to have 185 days or 1,025 hours in a calendar year for instruction. The CCS 2021-22 calendar has 1,075, or 50 additional, hours of instruction allowing the district to make this call.
Under NC law the districts can use up to five days of remote learning due to inclement weather. These five days are separate from the limited circumstances a school or classroom may go virtual due to COVID-19. Virtual days related to weather do not have to be made up at a later in the year.
Districts decide on a day-by-day basis whether schools will close, move to remote instruction, operate schools normally or with a delay. The state provides each school district with standard guidelines to ensure quality teaching and learning outside the traditional classroom.
School districts do have different approaches on when they expect work from students and if technology or wireless issues prevent students from working remotely.
In Catawba County Schools, students are counted as present if they complete assignments, attend Google Meets, or have two-way communication with teachers.
“We provide flexibility by recording meets for those who cannot access during the instructional day and in working with students on due dates for remote assignments,” Catawba County Schools spokesperson Kim Jordan said in an e-mail. “It is a district expectation that students’ complete remote assignments.”
Teachers also provide about an hour of instruction for each core subject. Teachers are available for instructional assistance outside of instructional periods for the school day.
In Newton-Conover City Schools each of the grade levels have a plan of action for student participation and how and when to submit work. They have a public how-to guide that anyone can access for questions about virtual learning.
Burke County Schools has used three remote learning days this week.
The district said all students have a device at home during the school year. Students must log in and complete assignments by 5 p. m. each day. If they can not, teachers work with families to make up the work.
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.