Survey sparks confusion: Lexington parents can send kids to school part-time or keep them home.

Families of Fayette County students on Friday received more details about a return to in-person learning when they received a survey from the district, but the board chairwoman acknowledged that some people were confused by the options.

Families essentially were asked if they want to send their children back to the classroom for two days each week and have them learn at home three, or keep them home altogether.

One survey question asked whether the family wanted hybrid learning, in which the child would attend school two days each week and have instruction off campus the other three. The district would follow all state safety protocols to address the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the hybrid model, students would be divided into two demographically diverse groups. One group of students would go to school on Mondays and Tuesdays and another group would go to school on Thursday and Fridays. When they are not on campus, students would learn remotely. Every effort would be made to ensure that students from the same family go to school on the same days.

On Wednesdays, schools would be deep-cleaned and all students would be on virtual learning.

Another survey question asked whether the family wanted remote learning in which the child would receive all of their instruction off-campus and would not be physically returning to school. Remote learning would be different from the NTI/2DL -- non traditional instruction -- that the district is currently offering. Depending upon the availability of staff, remote learning could include live instruction, taped lessons, and independent work.

Either choice might require a change in a teacher or schedule, the survey said.

Board chairwoman Stephanie Spires said in a Facebook video Friday that the survey “provided a little bit of confusion.”

Spires said she had received phone calls and emails about the survey and wanted to clear up some questions.

“We’re really sort of in a chicken egg situation, “ said Spires.

She said the district needed data on how many students were returning to the classroom, how many teachers were needed, and what classrooms would look like.

“We need data to really finalize the plan,” said Spires.

But she said families want to see the final plan to make their decision. Spires said families are asking if they are locked in to their survey answers and they want choice.

Spires said the district can’t have a large group pick one option and then want to transition to another.

“However, I want families to understand that today they are choosing how they feel today and what is best for their family, but it’s understood that the family situation and preference may change going forward,” she said.

District officials have been saying for weeks that they would make a decision on returning during late September and early October. They’ve been in a strain because COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Fayette County and a state metric system recommends caution or at-home learning when the case incidence rate is critical.

Spires said school board members are working toward a tentative Nov. 2 hybrid return.

Spires said at-home learning is likely to look different going forward. She said that’s because teachers can’t be expected to engage in both in-person and virtual learning.

Spires said if the plan looks a little unknown it’s because the district is trying to figure out student-to staff-ratios, who is coming back into the school buildings and who needs what.

“I know that it is frustrating.. because you feel like there isn’t a plan,” but Spires said the district needs numbers to know the plan.

“I apologize that communication from the district has not been what it needs to be,” she said. “This is something that the school board is continuing to challenge the superintendent to work on improving.”

“Hopefully you will see better communication from us,” she said.

The school board is meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday at their regular planning meeting and will talk about what the next few weeks and the return plan will look like.

Todd Burus is a leader in the social media group “Let them Learn in Fayette County,” which has criticized district officials for a lack of planning for a return to in-person learning.

“While parents were happy to see the survey come out, what they saw concerned many,” Burus said Friday. “The lack of clarity on what remote learning will actually look like if they choose it, the possibility that their child’s teacher might change, the uncertainty over whether their response locks them into a choice. Some of this has to do with the developing logistics of the situation, but the fact that so much about those logistics remains undeveloped at this point speaks volumes towards the lack of planning that has actually taken place as pertains to a return to in-person schooling.”

In a new video program launched Wednesday, Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk said that as part of a tentative timeline for returning to in-person learning, targeted services for small groups of students could begin in elementary schools the week of Oct. 19. Middle and high school students would begin receiving the services in subsequent weeks.

Hybrid instruction could begin in elementary schools the week of Nov. 2, Caulk said in the video.

Individual schools will make their own decisions on the targeted services, but the activities could include career and technical education, mental health or academic counseling, occupational, physical or speech therapy, or remediation or tutoring. He said when students go back to class, all best practices to curb COVID-19 will be followed including social distancing, wearing masks, temperature checks. There will be reduced numbers of people in the building and 15 or fewer people in the classroom and sessions of no longer than two hours for the targeted services, he said.

This story was originally published October 9, 2020 at 3:11 PM.