Indiana cancels K-12 classroom learning for rest of school year as COVID-19 spreads

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Indiana public school students won't be returning to classrooms this academic year and will continue learning remotely, Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered Thursday.

The move requires schools to provide students with 160 instructional days or, if that can’t be attained, 20 more days of remote learning between now and the planned end of the school year.

If a school doesn’t reach 160 days after adding 20 more days, state education officials can waive the difference.

The next step is for all schools to submit "continuous learning plans" to the Indiana Department of Education by April 17, outlining what could be a mix of approaches – from “extended learning” to eLearning.

“How that looks is going to be defined locally,” Jennifer McCormick, Indiana’s superintendent of public instruction, said during a briefing in Indianapolis.

Holcomb previously had directed in-person learning suspended until at least May 1. His new order also addresses high school seniors, allowing them to graduate if they meet course and credit standards for their diploma by combining high school credits earned before the governor’s statewide school closure order of March 19 with credits in courses students were enrolled in at that date.

Those are in addition to any other remote learning requirements local education officials enacted in response to the school closure order as well as any other local requirements.

McCormick acknowledged that it will be difficult for schools to have "milestone moments" like graduation ceremonies this spring.

"If you are upset about anybody about this situation, you can be upset with me -- and please target that to me," she said. "Because I need you to be good partners with your local schools. They are going to do the best they can on being creative on what that looks like."

"I know. I have heard from people you're missing your proms and you have your graduation ceremonies. I understand those milestone moments are important, and I'm not trying to diminish that at all."

She said local school districts will best determine how to proceed with graduations and other ceremonies.

McCormick called the potential for inequities among students learning remotely a "real concern" but said her staff is gathering data on where best to deploy technology or other resources.

"It is tricky because there are folks who are trying to work from home," she said. "They've got three children. They're all doing eLearning. They've got one computer. They've got some access, or they're being told: 'Go to McDonalds and figure it out.'"

Elsewhere, McCormick said, some families aren't comfortable with the physical exchange involved with programs such as "paper-pencil packets."

She said a limited number of districts have essentially closed and are offering no support to students and their families.

Further complicating things, she said, orders for remote learning equipment have swamped suppliers and can't be provided quickly.

Indiana schools had completed 75 percent of the instructional year when Holcomb ordered schools closed last month.

Earlier Thursday, Indiana reported 474 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the state's total confirmed infections to 3,039.