Atlanta Public Schools May Start 2020-2021 School Year Completely Digital, August 24
APS to start 2020-2021 school year on August 24 completely virtual.
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) has proposed opening the 2020-2021 school year utilizing a full virtual learning model, August 24.
The District’s plan, “Day One 2020 Return + Learn,” would move Day One for the 2020-2021 school year to Monday, August 24 with schools offering virtual learning programs for all students, and reduce the District’s instructional days to 170 for the school year.
APS staff will start on Monday, August 3, for two weeks of mostly virtual pre-planning with some in-person, small-group activities. These two weeks called Day One “Runway” will focus on family connections, team building, teacher planning, professional development, and safety planning.
As part of this plan, beginning the week of August 17, APS will conduct additional student assessments and get-to-know-you activities and set learning expectations for a strong start to an unconventional school year. The district is also focused on student wellness and preparation and will collect the most current contact information for every student.
This model will be maintained for at least the first nine weeks of school, or until the spread of COVID-19 has been reduced to minimal or moderate. The city of Atlanta has moved back to Stage 1 of its recovery process in light of the current COVID-19 trajectory. Fulton County has pulled back to Stage 1 of recovery as well.
District administrators will continue to monitor and evaluate the spread of COVID-19 in Atlanta and the metro area, to determine when and if a return to in-person instruction is safe.
