Milwaukee Public Schools would start the school year online under a $90 million plan proposed Monday by school administrators, with students gradually returning to the classroom once the coronavirus threat has subsided.
The plan calls for students to return online on Aug. 17 or Sept. 1, depending on their school calendar, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. The online phase would last a projected 30 to 45 days, after which students would alternate two days in school and three online at home. Students would then fully return to classes once that was deemed safe.
“We would continue to monitor the health situation and the risk criteria … based on the number of positive cases and deaths,” said Marla Bronaugh, Milwaukee Public Schools’ chief communications and school performance officer.
School board members are expected to take up the proposal at a special board meeting Thursday.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has deemed Milwaukee County high-risk during the coronavirus pandemic. Milwaukee County has had more than 14,000 cases and at least 359 deaths, most of those in the city of Milwaukee.
Milwaukee school board members are likely to support the plan, school board President Larry Miller said.
“It’s something we have to do.,” Miller said. “But it’s going to get tougher as time goes on because we have to figure out ways to bring our children back as quickly as we can.”
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