Lee County school district urges students in online program to return to campuses in 2021

Reporter: Val Simpson Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
The School District of Lee County. Photo via WINK News.
Credit: WINK News.

Thousands of students are struggling to learn in The School District of Lee County. Seventy percent of students in the Lee Home Connect program are not meeting standards, so the District is pushing for those students to go back to in-person learning to get their grades up.

The District is calling all families of students in the program to encourage them to go back to brick-and-mortar classrooms at the start of 2021.

That’s 16,000 students who have been flagged for not getting good enough grades or being absent for more than seven days.

Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered schools to make these calls in November. He said schools in Florida must reopen while calling their closure this spring a mistake.

District spokesperson Rob Spicker says they are strongly encouraging struggling students to return to traditional face-to-face instruction, where they are more likely to be successful.

“We know students learn best when they are in a classroom with the teacher and everybody is focused,” Spicker said. “And we are giving those students the opportunity to come back to campus, where we believe our safety protocols are working.”

Parents can opt out of allowing their kids to return to the in-person classroom by signing a waiver.

If students return to school, they could end up with a new schedule or teacher and must wear face mask and social distance.

The deadline for parents of students in Lee County schools to change his or her learning options is Dec. 13 for the next semester.

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