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Political Rewind: Uncertainty For Families, School Kids Looking Ahead to Fall
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Tuesday on Political Rewind education experts joined guest host Donna Lowry for a conversation about the uncertainty over the coming school year. Many families are wondering what schooling will look like in just a few months.
Under a cloud of the pandemic, school systems are asking parents to decide whether to send their children back to classrooms or continue online learning.
The American Academy of Pediatrics "strongly advocates" for students to be "physically present in school" this fall, but only "if it's safe." Some school districts have released their reopening plans, with many including a hybrid plan of students in school and home learning virtually.
But Ty Tagami, education reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said students in many counties outside of the metro Atlanta area face challenges when it comes to those who learn from home.
"A lot of school districts don't have some of the advantages we have in metro Atlanta, namely technology, broadband access, so many school districts don't have it," said Tagami.
Dr. Stephen Owens, with the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, said budget cuts risk exacerbating the situation.
"The uncertainty of how many students will be in the classroom is compounded by the uncertainty for schools caused by a nearly $1 billion cut in K-12 education," Dr. Owens said. "This is a crisis that will be with our schools for a number of years."
Panelists:
Margaret Ciccarelli — Director of Legislative Services, Professional Association of Georgia Educators
Amy McCoy Dees — Chair, Coweta County School Board
Dr. Stephen Owens — Senior Policy Analyst, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute
Ty Tagami — Education Reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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