Minnesota Schools Leaning Toward Hybrid and Online Starts

Many Minnesota school districts are following my advice and starting in the robust and flexible hybrid mode:

[Anoka-Hennepin superintendent David] Law said he’s keeping a close watch on county data and that the decision to start in a hybrid model was based around a projection of how prevalent the virus is likely to be in the area in early September. If cases begin to spike more quickly, it’s possible the district would have to shift to a model with younger students receiving hybrid instruction and secondary students staying home — or the entire district starting the year with distance learning.

In the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan district, spokesman Tony Taschner said officials took a similar approach to making their decisions and releasing plans. The district plans to bring students back for two days a week, grouped into two cohorts.

“The way we’re looking at it, everything is based on distance learning; you get time in school based on [virus] conditions,” he said.

…Rochester Public Schools plans to bring elementary students back two days a week for hybrid instruction. Most middle and high school students will be at home all week for distance learning, though there will be some opportunities for older students to make appointments to get in-person help with technology, tutoring or mental health services.

Most students in the St. Cloud school district will get two days of in-person instruction and three online. Kindergartners, first- and second-graders, some special education students and those learning English will get four days of classroom instruction [Eric Golden, “Several of Minnesota’s Largest School Districts Plan to Start Year in Hybrid Mode,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, 2020.08.09].

Minneapolis and St. Paul are starting the school year fully online.