Philadelphia School District Making Progress With Online Learning Plan

Jessica Kartalija reports.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OFPHILADELPHIA HAS NOT YETDECIDED WHETHER TO EXTEND THESCHOOL YEAR BUT THEY AREMAKING PROGRESS WITH THEIR ONLINE LEARNING PLANS.JESSICA HAS THAT STORE FRIDAYHER HOME, TONIGHT HEY THERE,FAN.HELLO THERE, UKEE.SO MANY QUESTIONS TONIGHT THATARE STILL UNANSWERED.PHILADELPHIA SCHOOLSUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR WILLIAMHITE HELD A PRESS CONFERENCEON LINE THIS MORNING TO TRY TOANSWER SOME OF THOSEQUESTIONS.HE SAYS THAT THE DISTRICT'SMAKING PROGRESS DISTRIBUTING10S OF THOUSANDS OF CHROMEBOOKS TO MAKE ON LINESCHOOLWORK POSSIBLE, 50,000 OFTHEM ARE BRAND NEW, HOWEVER,STUDENTS THAT DIDN'T HAVE THEMAT THE START OF THE YEAR.SCHOOL DISTRICT IS EXPLORINGPOTENTIAL DEAL FOR WIFI HOTSPOTS.DOCTOR HITE SAYS PROCESS OFDISTRIBUTING PROCESS ISN'TDONE JUST YET.I THINK 43 SCHOOLS HAVEDISTRIBUTED MOST OF WHAT THEYHAVE HAD, AND SOME HAVE NEEDEDNEW ONES, OTHERS HAD HADENOUGH IN ORDER TO DISTRIBUTEFOR OTHERS THERE WAS A MIXTUREOF BOTH.THEY ARE LARGE SCHOOLS LIKENORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL THATWILL NEED SEVERAL THOUSANDS.REPORTER: HE ALSO BELIEVETHAT THE DISTRICT DOES HAVEENOUGH LAP TOPS, UKEE AND SAYSFORMAL ON LINE INSTRUCTIONWILL BEGIN SOMETIME IN MAY.STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO ATTENDON LINE CLASSES.THEY WILL TO HAVE PARTICIPATE.AND THEY WILL HAVE TO COMPLETETHOSE ASSIGNMENTS.SO THIS IS NOT AN EXTENDEDSPRING BREAK OR AN EARLYSUMMER.THOSE ASSIGNMENTS, OF COURSEWILL BE GRADED.