CPS Gets Ready For Remote Learning On Tuesday
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Public Schools students start classes fully remote on Tuesday.
CBS 2's Marissa Parra reports from CPS headquarters. The school district said it's ready for the fall more than it was during the spring.
CPS said it'll be recording attendance and grading as normal.
As another semester begins for CPS, the classrooms will remain empty for another semester. But CPS promises last spring and this fall semester will not look the same.
"There were no failing students, no letter grades," said Kimberly Washington, a K-7 CPS teacher. "But that's different and now they're being held accountable."
But not everyone is so thrilled.
"Now is not the time for mandatory attendance at 7:45 in the morning," said CPS parent Laurie Viets. "Now is not the time for grades. Now is the time to just get through this."
She has three Chicago public school students and admitted there's no easy solution.
"There is no ideal situation. We're in a pandemic," she said.
Chicago Public Schools said last spring it gave out over 128,000 devices. To get ready for the fall semester, it gave out an additional 15,000 devices.
When asked about the number of students who are still in need of devices, CPS didn't say. Viets remained unconvinced.
"Kids are not getting them," she said, adding that had to help a family personally get some Chromebooks because they couldn't.
After a spring report that showed over 2,000 (2,250) students were missing from CPS attendance during a study in May, CPS is using a new reopening website to mark attendance and readiness.
Meaning if it doesn't hear back from certain families, it will send a team door-to-door.
"We will call those families and we will activate student engagement teams at the school who will go out and knock on doors," said CPS CEO Janice Jackson. "And to engage families and students and make sure that they're connected to schools."
If your child needs a device or still having internet problems, CPS said to let your school know. There's also a parent tech hotline. That number is 773-417-1060.
