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Education Department to prioritize in-person learning, staffing

Molly Hulsey //January 12, 2021//

Education Department to prioritize in-person learning, staffing

Molly Hulsey //January 12, 2021//

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State Education Superintendent Molly Spearman pressed for the return of safe in-class instruction and the recruitment of quality teachers during today’s announcement of the department’s 2021 legislative priorities.

“While our primary focus must remain on the safe return of students for face-to-face instruction this school year, our state has an opportunity in 2021 to take action on items that will have a profound impact on students, educators and our system of public instruction for years to come," Spearman said in today's news release. "The priorities that we have developed come as a result of speaking with educators about their needs and observing the obstacles our schools have faced during the past year. I look forward to working with the members of the General Assembly to address these challenges head on and ensuring we move South Carolina's education system in the right direction."

The call for a measured return to face-to-face teaching and additional mental, physical and emotional health resources for schools followed the arrival of in-person students to most Upstate classrooms.

Traditional elementary and middle school students in Greenville County schools returned to a five-day week of physical attendance in the classroom on Jan. 4, according to a news release, until further notice of staffing shortages. Schools in Spartanburg’s District 7 also phased into full-time in-person teaching on Jan. 5, while other districts in the county continued hybrid scheduling.

An anomaly, Laurens County School District 55, will remain entirely online for the foreseeable future.

The district, serving communities in the city of Laurens, Gray Court, Hickory Tavern and the northwestern half of the county, pushed back its original plans for face-to-face instruction on Jan. 11 because of a 30% positive return on post-holiday COVID-19 tests for staff members. The spike in cases prompted a staffing shortage, according to a Jan. 10 news release.

“We value to the opportunity to collaborate and cooperate in the best interests of the broader community, but we will continue our efforts to bring students back on campus as soon as possible,” District Superintendent Ameca Thomas said in the release.

The district plans to re-evaluate plans for face-to-face instruction on Jan. 14.

Spearman reiterated that the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated a pre-existing dearth of teachers in the state and she petitioned state and local leaders for a solution to a pending “crisis,” according to the release.

Other legislative objectives included a push for greater access to college and career preparatory opportunities across the state, especially in light of competency-based practices in lieu of high-stakes testing, and heightened district efficiency.

Spearman also pushed for the “imperative” expansion of full-day 4K, early literacy programs and parent engagements during the announcement, according to a news release.

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