Wake County Public School System debates future of remote learning days

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools in North Carolina shut down.

Some students adapted quickly with the changes but many others struggled mightily. Tuesday, Wake County Public School System is evaluating what happened and could opt to change how remote learning works going forward.

A Wake County Public School System leader told ABC11 that the Tuesday night vote is part of recovery efforts from the pandemic and that moving forward, remote learning days will be used sparingly.

WCPSS Assistant Superintendent of Academics Drew Cook said the district needs to work toward getting students back up to speed.

"It's incumbent upon us to identity individually for each student what they're needs are, address any gaps they might have and ensure that they recovery quickly and move forward long-term and be successful," Cook said.

The push to only use remote learning days sparingly is being met with both disappointment and praise.

Wake County parent Melissa Worrilow said remote learning didn't work for her kids.

"They just were robbed," she said. "With the school calendar this year, instead of trying to add more in-person learning days, they have gone in the opposite way, trying to add more early release days and remote learning days. I just think it's better for kids to learn in the classroom."

Karen Schaeffer has a different perspective. Her grandson suffers from anxiety and has been thriving in a virtual environment.

"He did so well," she said. "He could do it at his pace, he could do it in his timeframe, he could ask questions when he could formulate them in his mind. It was perfect. He really excelled."