1. About 17,000 Knox County students opted for virtual education this year.
According to knoxnews.com, the virtual plan requires students to attend school daily and includes live instruction and time for independent work. In all, about 60,000 kids attend Knox County Schools, so about a quarter of them will be learning from home.
2. The school system put the extra week’s delay to good use.
The extra week of summer break for students gave teachers time for training on virtual learning and trauma-informed training.
3. The county did not set a specific number of COVID-19 cases that would close schools.
Any decision to close will be up to Knox County Schools.
4. Absenteeism and substitute teacher fill rate are a better barometer than waiting for COVID test results.
Other counties, including Anderson, are providing specific case number thresholds to determine school plans.
5. Got questions?
If you’re confused or need some kind of help, start by calling the school your student normally attends.