Chicago Public Schools Unveil Remote Learning Framework For Fall

CHICAGO — Public schools officials have released the framework for remote learning including how much real-time instruction students will receive when classes begin next month.

"As we prepare for an unprecedented start to the upcoming school year, we’ve set clear expectations for students and staff to improve remote instruction and ensure that our students are supported and their unique needs are met," CPS CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson said.

The plan calls for students to be engaged in a combination of live real-time instruction with classmates and teachers, small-group activities and independent learning activities for an entire school day, five days a week.

Pre-K students set to receive an hour of real-time instruction and 90 minutes of learning activities. Kindergarten through 2nd grade classes will include three hours of both real-time instruction and learning activities. Third-grade through fifth-grade students will get three hours and 25 minutes of real-time instruction and two hours and 25 minutes of learning activities. Students in 6th grade through 8th grade will spend three hours and 50 minutes of real-time instruction and two hours and 25 minutes of activities. In high schools, 80 percent of their days will include real-time instruction with the rest of the time will be earmarked for learning activities, officials said.

Chicago Teachers Union officials filed a labor grievance aiming to alter the remote learning plan.

“The mayor and CPS made this plan without imagination or input from teachers. They have unveiled a remote learning plan to fit into the mold of in-person school, but have failed to take advantage of the ways that online learning can be made more accessible and engaging. In fact, they refuse to partner on an agreement that reflects lessons learned from last spring and best practices for remote learning," CTU president Jesse Sharkey said in a statement.

“We feel like that there should be innovation specific to remote learning that works for a wider swath of educators and families. We’ve accepted that this is a pandemic, and we’ve adapted accordingly to serve our school communities. We’re not sure CPS has done the same. There is a lot of infrastructure to build, and they’ve been reluctant to build that infrastructure with our union."

On Tuesday, Jackson refuted Sharkey's claim saying CPS officials have met with the union weekly to discuss issues related to remote learning.

"At the end of the day, if I'm being a transparent, this is really about a few things we are just unwilling to give up on. We are unwilling to reduce the amount of instructional time for our students. They have lost so much already. We are unwilling to take accountability out of our system when students and families deserve that," she said.