Half Of Loudoun Parents Pick 100-Percent Distance Learning Option

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — The 100-percent distance learning option for students in the Loudoun County Public Schools system was chosen by the parents of just over 50 percent of the students in the school system, according to preliminary results released Friday by LCPS. The hybrid model of learning was chosen by the parents of about 39 percent of the students who attend Loudoun schools.

LCPS asked parents and guardians of students to choose the mode of instruction they wanted their students to receive in the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. The options offered to parents were a hybrid model of learning, which means a student will attend school in person for two days each week and will participate in distance learning the other three days of the week. The 100-percent distance learning means the student will not attend school in person.

The deadline for parents to select the mode of instruction for their child was Wednesday. On Friday, the school system released the preliminary results of the choices made by parents:

• The 100-percent distance learning option was chosen by the parents/guardians of 41,880 students, or 50.55 percent.
• The hybrid model of learning was chosen by the parents/guardians of 31,890 students, or 38.49 percent.
• No choice was indicated for 9,077 students, or 10.96 percent. These students are assigned by default to the hybrid model of learning.

A total of 82,847 students are registered to attend LCPS schools for the 2020-2021 school year. Information about the choices registered by parents at each LCPS school and other data is included in the LCPS Return to School 2020 Student Choices and Teacher/Teacher Assistant Preferences report.

LCPS is conducting a verification process to ensure that the correct choice was recorded for each student, and the final results may change. Parents must confirm the choice they made for their child's instruction by 4 p.m. Saturday.

LCPS also requested that teachers and teacher assistants express their preference for teaching in either the hybrid environment — in-person teaching four days each week —or in the 100-percent distance learning environment. Responses were received from 6,836 teachers and 995 teacher assistants.

Among teachers, 3,708, or 54.2 percent, indicated a preference for the hybrid learning model, and 3,128, or 45.8 percent, indicated a preference for the distance learning model. Among teacher assistants, 607, 61.0 percent, expressed a preference for the hybrid learning model and 388, 39.0 percent, prefer the distance learning model.

Although preference information will be considered, staff schedules will ultimately be determined by student need, the school system said.

According to LCPS, school administrators will use the selections indicated by parents and the preferences indicated by teachers and teacher assistants to develop school schedules and staffing plans, as well as transportation needs and other logistical plans for the operation of schools in the 2020-2021 school year.

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• Loudoun Implements Instruction Verification Process For Students
• Loudoun Schools Approve Hybrid Plan, With Full-Time Home Option