South Dakota school leaders are assessing how virtual learning works for students. Schools have turned to digital instruction during the pandemic, but some superintendents say they don’t want to expand online learning.
Huron Superintendent Terry Nebelsick says last March, his school district had to react, fast.
“Suddenly distance learning, which has been a part of high school learning for years, became K-12 and people became digital instructors overnight. We learned during that time how to help kids learn digitally and we learned how much kids will not learn digitally, that they critically need to be in front of people.”
Schools across the state closed in March. Nebelsick says they are now considering the long term effects of online learning.
“Other superintendents and some work with the Department of Education have told us we may have a one-year kindergarten bomb. It takes 13 years to go through the system because of kindergarten children that were held out all across the communities and now will come in at the same time because of the caution parents had.”
Because some families kept their young children at home, Nebelsick says they may see a sudden increase in students. That could affect funding for the future. He says digital learning works for some students, but it does not replace going to school in person.
The Wagner School District was one of the first to close in South Dakota. Superintendent Shad Storley says the pandemic will leave some students behind.
“For graduation rate, we’re going to be behind. There’s no doubt about it. To get some of these kids done by the time they’re 16, it’s just not going to happen now. It took us half a year making the phone calls, knocking on the doors saying, ‘if you’re not going to do something, we’re not going to pass you.’”
Governor Kristi Noem wants lawmakers to approve a 2.4 percent increase in state aid for K-12 schools. The state legislature is considering her proposal, along with additional federal emergency relief.