Virtual school options likely to continue in Fayette County

The future of Fayette County’s virtual school instruction program was a major topic at the Board of Education’s work session on Monday. Julie Turner, assistant superintendent for student achievement, said that plans for some level of virtual learning next school year are underway but have not been finalized yet. She said elementary-level virtual classes will not continue after the COVID-19 pandemic is over because “young children learn best in a brick-and-mortar setting.”

Plans for middle school classes are undecided, and future virtual classes for high school students will focus on core courses needed for graduation and will not include all AP or higher-level CTE classes, due to the expense and scheduling complications. The school system is preparing a readiness rubric to determine which students are best suited for virtual classes, based on their level of engagement and their parents’ degree of involvement.