DC public school students have been expecting to study 100 percent virtually until at least November. But yesterday at a press conference, Mayor Muriel Bowser hinted that soon, a small number of DCPS students may be permitted to return to the actual classroom as soon as this month.
Bowser said she hopes to study how some private and charter schools have conducted in-person classes as a way to potentially introduce the same option for DCPS. While she doesn’t anticipate that entire classes will gather physically before November, she said that it may be possible for smaller groups at a few schools to assemble.
Virtual learning has been a struggle for many families. When DC public schools resumed classes August 31, reports of glitches and limited access to technology were prevalent within the 51,000-student community. On the first day of school, a DC hotline established to help with technology issues received 3000 calls.
Over the summer, 60 percent of 32,000 DC families surveyed said they needed access to technology devices, says the article; 27 percent said they needed internet. DCPS handed out almost 19,000 devices by the first day of school. And on Tuesday, Bowser announced the Internet for All program, which will put $3.3 million toward providing internet for up to 25,000 low-income DC students and families.
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
