Kent School District to go full-time remote learning this fall

KENT, Wash. - The Kent School District is preparing to do all remote learning in the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.

The first day back to school is on August 27, and there are several dates families will want to keep in mind.

On August 3, the district will release its final plan to the Kent School Board and publish it on its website.

The school community will have until the following school board meeting on August 12 to weigh in, and there will be an opportunity to provide feedback during the virtual public meeting.

The superintendent of the Kent School District made the announcement on Monday. The district serves about 27,000 students at 42 schools and academies.

Families have mixed reaction, including students who are struggling with the isolating conditions that are keeping us safe from the coronavirus.

“It was a very disappointing time for me,” said Yuliya Krupey, 6th grade student at Sunrise Elementary School. “This school is basically kind of like my home so I just really want to go to sixth grade this year and be here my last year. I have a lot of friends. I am very social. I love talking, and if it was from home I wouldn’t be able to see all my friends. It would just be a very sad time for me.”

Superintendent Dr. Calvin Watts said in the announcement the decision to do remote learning was based on recent data from family and school staff surveys, guidance from health officials and draft plans from the Back to School Task Force.

About 7,000 families responded to the district’s “Family Readiness Survey,” and the responses were nearly down the middle with 56 percent of families feeling strongly opposed to going back to school full-time for in person learning, according to the district. Meanwhile, another survey question found 47 percent of families support a hybrid model of learning or full-time remote learning.

Christine Alba has three children in the school district. She has questions about the details behind the Kent School District’s plan to lead with “equity” and provide “high-quality” remote learning.

Alba is also interested in knowing how the district will make sure her youngest child Kamden, 4, will receive an equitable education when he has a learning disability.

“My youngest he was in preschool, he’s four and as a note he has autism so he needs special services like speech therapy. We also need him to go to occupational therapy,” said Alba. “What does equitable mean to the Kent School District and what does that mean for our children.”

Alba said Kamden is a social butterfly and active child who loves learning with kids his own age, and that virtual learning did not provide him a productive path to growing.

“I understand [the district] is working on it, but it makes a lot of parents really nervous, especially those who’s kids are with Individual Educational Plans,” said Alba.

The Kent School District is directing families who want to learn more about the reopening plan to visit this website.