Most will e-learn in Palm Beach County

Fewer than half the 170,000 students are expected to show up in person Monday when Palm Beach County reopens schools for oncampus learning.

While schools have been shuttered for over six months due to COVID-19, Palm Beach County students won’t be required to show up in person: Any student who wants to physically attend school will be allowed to, but students who prefer virtual learning can continue their coursework remotely.

Over the past two weeks, the school district has reached out to parents asking what their preference is for their children. With an 85% response rate, roughly 59% said their children will continue with online learning, while 41% percent plan on their children returning for in-person instruction, Palm Beach County Schools Superintendent Donald Fennoy said during a news conference on Friday.

As of now, that means roughly 85,000 students will continue their learning at home, while over 60,000 will return to brick-andmortar schools.

Fennoy said school principals have been reaching out to parents who haven’t responded to the survey.

“Our principals are preparing for every student to show up,” Fennoy said. “Once kids tell their friends that, ‘I’m back in school,’ the next three weeks are going to be pretty busy, so that’s how we’re handling that.”

Palm Beach County began the school year Aug. 31 with virtual learning.

The school district has faced significant criticism from both teachers and the school board ahead of next week’s reopening. In-person instruction was initially slated to resume one week after Palm Beach County entered Phase 2, which began on Sept. 8. The district, however, was given a oneweek extension after Fennoy told Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner they wouldn’t be ready to open on Sept. 14.

Palm Beach County school board members admitted Fennoy fumbled the school reopening plan, but defended his performance against the unprecedented circumstances he’s had to deal with. School board members rejected calls from the teachers’ union Wednesday to terminate him or reprimand his leadership.

DAN SWEENEY/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Thousands of students across South Florida received laptops like this one, which was issued by the Palm Beach County School District.