Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Poorest Americans Dealt Biggest Blow Under Senate Republican Tax Package

7 hours ago

Trump Vowed to Dismantle MS-13. His Deal With Bukele Threatens That Effort.

11 hours ago

Ukraine Voices Concern as US Halts Some Missile Shipments

11 hours ago

Poll: Most Americans Say National Divide, Political Violence Threaten Democracy

11 hours ago

Paramount Settles With Trump Over ‘60 Minutes’ Interview for $16 Million

11 hours ago

Republicans Tee up House Vote on Trump Bill, Outcome Uncertain

11 hours ago

What’s Next for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs After His Sex Trafficking Trial?

11 hours ago

Dalai Lama Says He Will Be Reincarnated, Trust Will Identify Successor

12 hours ago
Fresno Unified Teachers Want to Know: What's the Distance Learning Plan?
NANCY WEBSITE HEADSHOT 1
By Nancy Price, Multimedia Journalist
Published 5 years ago on
July 29, 2020

Share

Fresno Unified officials say the distance learning program provided to its 74,000 students starting just three weeks from now will be markedly different than the one in the final two months of the past school year.

Now that all students are on the distance learning format to start the school year, registration is requested only from parents who need a device for their child and who also want their children to remain with distance learning after schools reopen, district spokeswoman Amy Idsvoog said.

But details about what school will look like while students are learning virtually are still under wraps. District spokeswoman Nikki Henry told GV Wire℠ on Tuesday that the plan will be released “as soon as negotiations are finalized.”

The Fresno Teachers Association, which represents district teachers, presented a lengthy list of questions on its Facebook page late last week that it hopes will be answered in the “eLearn at My School” plan the district says it’s developing in cooperation with labor partners.

Among the union’s queries:

  • What happens if a student doesn’t attend class and the parents don’t respond to outreach attempts?
  • How much time will be scheduled at the beginning of the school year for building relationships? (Unlike other school years, teachers and students won’t start out together in the classroom.)
  • Will teachers be reimbursed for additional bandwidth costs?
  • Will the district purchase microphones or cameras for teachers to deliver distance learning?

Delay Start of School?

With so much yet to prepare for, the FTA has been pushing to delay the start of the school year past Aug. 17 so teachers, principals, other school staff, parents, and students can be more fully prepared for distance learning.

Although the first day of school for students is Aug. 17, principals and teachers report a week or two earlier and will need to be versed in how to present distance learning, said FTA President Manuel Bonilla.

“We need to have time to make sure everybody is on the same page,” he said.

Bonilla said district officials should have gotten started earlier on the plan since distance learning was always going to be an option even as the district was preparing earlier in the summer to reopen schools.

That back-to-school option was waylaid by a mandate announced this month by Gov. Gavin Newsom that keeps schools closed if they are in counties that are on the state’s COVID-19 watchlist for rising infection rates.

Plan Needs to Make Time for Parents

Parent Carmen Zamora hopes that the district’s plan will include scheduled time for regular teacher-parent conversations.

“Hopefully, they do take into consideration we as parents need a lot of support, even one-on-one time with teachers.” — Fresno Unified parent Carmen Zamora

“Hopefully, they do take into consideration we as parents need a lot of support, even one-on-one time with teachers,” she said. “We want to make sure we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing, because we don’t want our kids to fall behind.”

The state has outlined a series of requirements for districts for the new school year, including “daily live interaction” with instructors and a minimum of three hours of daily instruction for kindergartners, three hours and 50 minutes for students in grades 1 through 3, and four hours for students in grades 4 through high school.

What’s not clear is how much of that instruction could be synchronous — or real-time — versus asynchronous (such as recorded instruction), or for time spent off-line on projects or assignments, Bonilla said.

What Will Online Instruction Look Like?

The district had originally set a deadline of Friday for parents to sign their children up for the online-only curriculum for the school year.

Now that all students are on the distance learning format to start the school year, registration is requested only from parents who need a device for their child and who also want their children to remain with distance learning after schools reopen, district spokeswoman Amy Idsvoog said.

Part of the negotiations between the teachers union and district have centered on what platforms can be used for instruction. While some teachers prefer Zoom, the district is insisting on Microsoft Teams, in part because it is more secure than Zoom and also because it includes the types of attendance and instruction time analytics that schools are required by the state to compile.

Security is a big issue for schools, said Kurt Madden, the district’s chief technology officer, pointing to the profane rants that interrupted several recent Fresno City Council meetings on Zoom.

Making up for Lost Learning

The teachers union wants to help shape how the district spends $23 million in money designated to mitigate for learning losses and has suggested it could be used to buy districtwide software licenses for programs that will help teachers connect with their students, Bonilla said.

Fresno Unified spokeswoman Vanessa Ramirez said the $23 million will be spent on technology such as devices and connectivity ($5 million to $6 million), personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies ($5 million to $7 million), and direct instructional supports to students ($10 million to $14 million). The estimated expenditures are subject to change, she said.

Ramirez said direct instructional supports include providing support for students’ mental health and social-emotional health and helping English learners, foster youth, and homeless students overcome barriers.

Zamora said she’s encouraged by the open communication she’s already seeing with district staffers and hopes it will continue in the new school year.

She knows there will be challenges, however.

“It will be bumpy. But hopefully we will all work together to be successful.”

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: Why Is State Lawmaker Taking Aim at Rooftop Solar?

DON'T MISS

Two Visalia Men Sentenced in 2021 Motel Killing

DON'T MISS

Ex-Jan. 6 Defendant Gets Life in Prison for Plot to Kill FBI Agents

DON'T MISS

Del Monte Files for Bankruptcy. Gets Nearly $1B to Keep Producing Through Process

DON'T MISS

Who is Running for Fresno Area Offices in 2026? An Updated Look

DON'T MISS

CIA Review Finds Flaws but Does Not Dispute Finding Putin Sought to Sway 2016 Vote to Trump

DON'T MISS

Poorest Americans Dealt Biggest Blow Under Senate Republican Tax Package

DON'T MISS

Check Out Newest Downtown Mural. It’s a Spectacular Tribute to Fresno Artisans

DON'T MISS

US Judge Blocks Trump Asylum Ban at US-Mexico Border, Says He Exceeded Authority

DON'T MISS

Fresno Fire Investigators Seek Public’s Help in Arson Case

UP NEXT

Poll: Most Americans Say National Divide, Political Violence Threaten Democracy

UP NEXT

Trump Pulls Back 150 Guard Troops From Federal Duties in California

UP NEXT

O’Brien Launches Fresno County Schools Chief Campaign by Handing Out ‘Homework’

UP NEXT

Suspect Identified in Ambush Shooting That Killed 2 Idaho Firefighters

UP NEXT

Suspect Identified in Ambush Shooting That Killed 2 Idaho Firefighters

UP NEXT

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

UP NEXT

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

UP NEXT

Bill Moyers, Broadcaster and LBJ’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 91

UP NEXT

Why Is Usually Sleepy Fresno County Schools Superintendent Race Suddenly Hot?

UP NEXT

What Does the Fresno County Schools Superintendent Do? Read This Q&A to Find Out

Nancy Price,
Multimedia Journalist
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email

Madera County Deputy Injured, Wanted Felon Arrested After Violent Struggle

5 hours ago

San Luis Obispo County Wildfire Burns More Than 3,000 Acres. No Containment Yet

5 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Why Is State Lawmaker Taking Aim at Rooftop Solar?

5 hours ago

Two Visalia Men Sentenced in 2021 Motel Killing

5 hours ago

Ex-Jan. 6 Defendant Gets Life in Prison for Plot to Kill FBI Agents

6 hours ago

Del Monte Files for Bankruptcy. Gets Nearly $1B to Keep Producing Through Process

6 hours ago

Who is Running for Fresno Area Offices in 2026? An Updated Look

7 hours ago

CIA Review Finds Flaws but Does Not Dispute Finding Putin Sought to Sway 2016 Vote to Trump

7 hours ago

Poorest Americans Dealt Biggest Blow Under Senate Republican Tax Package

7 hours ago

Check Out Newest Downtown Mural. It’s a Spectacular Tribute to Fresno Artisans

8 hours ago

House Republicans Say They Expect to Vote Tonight on Trump’s Tax-Cut Bill

WASHINGTON – Republicans in the House of Representatives on Wednesday struggled to pass President Donald Trump’s massive tax-cut...

4 hours ago

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks to the press, as Republican lawmakers struggle to pass U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping spending and tax bill, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 2, 2025. (Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)
4 hours ago

House Republicans Say They Expect to Vote Tonight on Trump’s Tax-Cut Bill

The Madre Fire in San Luis Obispo County has rapidly expanded to 8,396 acres with no containment, prompting evacuation orders and warnings near New Cuyama. (CalFire)
4 hours ago

San Luis Obispo’s Madre Fire Grows to 8,300 Acres, Prompts Evacuations

Andrew Biscay, 40, was arrested Friday, June 20, 2025, after deputies found him with a fake U.S. Marshal’s badge, homemade firearm, and law enforcement-style gear during a warrant arrest. (Madera County SO)
4 hours ago

SLO Deputies Fatally Shoot Man in Los Osos Weeks After US Marshal Impersonation Arrest

On Tuesday, July 1, 2025, a Madera County sheriff’s deputy was injured while trying to arrest a wanted felon, Felix Adrian Nucamendi Carrasco, 40, who later fled and was captured near Raymond Road. (Madera County SO)
5 hours ago

Madera County Deputy Injured, Wanted Felon Arrested After Violent Struggle

A wildfire dubbed the Madre Fire has burned over 3,300 acres near New Cuyama with 0% containment, officials said Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (CalFire)
5 hours ago

San Luis Obispo County Wildfire Burns More Than 3,000 Acres. No Containment Yet

5 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Why Is State Lawmaker Taking Aim at Rooftop Solar?

Jose Luna (left), 33, and Ralph Grajeda, 45, both of Visalia, have been sentenced for their roles in the 2020 shotgun killing of Robert Soto at a local motel. (Tulare County DA)
5 hours ago

Two Visalia Men Sentenced in 2021 Motel Killing

A U.S. Justice Department logo or seal showing Justice Department headquarters, known as "Main Justice," is seen behind the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. (Reuters File)
6 hours ago

Ex-Jan. 6 Defendant Gets Life in Prison for Plot to Kill FBI Agents

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend