Ed. Dept. releases info on fall

City students learning remotely this fall should expect daily, live video instruction in short intervals throughout the day and set class schedules, Education Department officials said in guidance released Tuesday.

“We are rolling out instructional guidance to our schools based on what we learned this spring and summer for students who are fully remote and for those learning in a blended environment,” said Education Department spokeswoman Danielle Filson.

Students have the option of attending in-person class between one and three days a week this fall while learning virtually on the remaining days, or doing remote learning fulltime.

Schools were not required to provide daily, live instruction during the spring, often posting assignments on Google Classroom for students to complete independently and offering optional, live office hours. Officials promised daily, live instruction during the city’s all-virtual summer school, but some students say it’s been rare.

Unlike summer school students, fall remote learners will be assigned teachers from their own schools for the online portion of their classes, “with a few exceptions,” officials said. They haven’t specified what the exceptions will be or how much live teaching will be required, adding only that virtual instruction will come in 15-20 minute intervals throughout the day for younger students and the duration may increase for older kids.

Schools will release daily schedules “with enough time for parents to plan their work and family commitments accordingly,” officials said.

On days that students are in school buildings, they’ll take their lunch to classrooms and work as they eat, officials added.

Teachers will work days of six hours and 50 minutes with 30 minutes of “prep” time to work on lesson plans and grading each day, likely in the afternoon after in-person classes are complete.