By Bill Short
The Millington School Board has unanimously approved a new policy creating a “virtual education program” for students who are homebound, quarantining or enrolled in an alternative school.
Board members took the action during their Sept. 7 monthly meeting on a motion offered by Cody Childress and seconded by C. J. Haley.
The policy, recommended by the Tennessee School Boards Association, was approved on a single reading.
The virtual education program is a course or series of courses offered by the school district to provide students “a broader range” of educational opportunities through the use of technology.
Use of the program is temporary and will not replace a student’s regular instructional program.
Class size ratios for the program will comply with the requirements as outlined in state law.
Attendance, grades and a technology survey are factors that will also be considered when determining students’ eligibility for the program.
The policy states that attendance in the program will adhere to the general requirements of board policy 6.200 and any relevant administrative procedures.
Attendance will be confirmed by a student’s participation in two or more of the following methods:
(1) a phone call with a teacher, with parent/guardian support as appropriate for the age of the student;
(2) synchronous virtual instruction;
(3) completion of work in a learning management system; or
(4) submission of work via hard-copy or virtual formats.
The policy states that a student may be removed from or denied future enrollment in the virtual education program based on disciplinary or attendance issues or poor academic performance.
But before a student is removed based on poor academic performance, the following interventions will occur:
(1) notification of parent/guardian; and
(2) one-on-one assessment conducted by the principal/designee regarding any learning needs and academic performance.
James “Bo” Griffin, superintendent of Millington Municipal Schools, said the “drawback” is that the virtual education program can only be used for seven days. But the school district will not lose its snow days or its inclement weather days.
“We can only close down a classroom or a school,” he noted. “We cannot close down an entire district.”
Griffin said Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has “emphatically” declared that there will be no “all-virtual” school during the 2021-22 academic year.
In response to a question by board Vice Chairman Barbara Halliburton, Griffin said the board would have to notify the state Department of Education if it decided to “go remote” based on “circumstances.”
But he agreed with board member Greg Ritter that this will allow the district to prepare a “plan” before it is submitted to the state for approval.
