As part of our continued effort to bring you accurate information, the Recorder sent unanswered questions asked during our virtual town hall to the Aleesia Johnson, superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS).
How is this going to affect grades and summer school?
Johnson: This week (April 3) ends the IPS spring break, and we will begin implementing our home learning plan with students next week. That plan will highlight how we are approaching grades. It will look different for K-8 students who are not in credit-bearing courses than it does for high schoolers who have to be able to demonstrate evidence that they’ve passed the courses needed to graduate.
What happens to the Class of 2020?
Johnson: Our goal is to make sure every single member of the Class of 2020 is best positioned to graduate on time, which is exactly the work our teachers, counselors, and principals were doing before schools closed. We are awaiting a final decision from the state on how those graduation requirements might now be adjusted in this new context. Once we have that information, we will continue to track every student’s course completion and where they are in terms of meeting the requirements to graduate and provide supports however possible to ensure they can complete all requirements successfully. In terms of graduation ceremonies, we don’t yet know what the status of that will be yet; though, we are beginning to consider what alternatives might look like if we aren’t able to host a traditional graduation ceremony.
What resources are available for students who don’t have internet access/access to a device?
Johnson: We are not a 1:1 (student-to-device) district, so we’ve made the decision to prioritize distribution of our devices to high school students who need to remain on track to earn all credits. That device distribution will begin next week and we are also working to secure hotspots for students who may have a need. We surveyed all IPS families in the last week, so that we could get a clearer pulse on the needs that exist for both devices and internet access in the district. On top of having hotspots available for high schoolers, we also have resources on our website regarding some of the plans being offered by telecom companies currently (i.e. Comcast, AT&T, etc.). Additionally, we will continue to advocate for there to be a more comprehensive solution to the digital divide and inequity of access we have seen play out so explicitly in this crisis.
