TEMPE, AZ — The Kyrene School District will start the 2020-2021 school year with 26 schools instead of 25.
The district announced during its governing board meeting Tuesday night it is launching the "Kyrene Digital Academy," a full-time, all-digital program to serve families who prefer to continue remote learning.
"It is live instruction from Kyrene teachers, five days a week, using Kyrene curriculums and it's not only going to be available for Kyrene families, but families in the entire state of Arizona," said Erin Helm, director of communications and marketing for Kyrene School District. "This could very well be something that lasts well beyond this year."
The K-8 digital academy is one of three options for the district's 16,500 students heading into next school year. The other two include full-time, in-person instruction with safety measures and environmental changes in place, or an intermittent distance learning option, allowing students to start the school year online, but eventually transition to in-person classes. They could also start the year on campus but later transition to remote learning.
"Knowing what our families intend is going to help us staff these different models appropriately," said Helm. "It's very different to staff for digital school versus to staff for in-person learning."
The district's reopening plans are still subject to change. Tuesday's "first look" at the plans will likely be one of many discussions and the governing board would still have to give final approval.
Enrollment for the digital academy begins June 17.
You can find more information here.
