11:30 P.M. UPDATE: After a lengthy special school board meeting, Clark County School Board Trustees voted unanimously for a full-time distance learning model to begin the 2020-2021 school year which is set to start on Aug. 24.
The school board of trustees met for several hours, remotely, Tuesday, to discuss the plan which was chosen in favor over a hybrid model which included in-person classroom instruction.
Clark County School District staff suggested the distance learning model for safety reasons citing COVID-19 infection rates and concerns for staff and student safety.
RELATED: Teachers relieved to hear CCSD distance learning recommendation
"I feel like we definitely need to move forward with distance-learning right now, we need to give people peace of mind and let our educators and principals plan but I also feel like there's a lot of unknowns that we brought up earlier," said Clark County School Board Trustee Danielle Ford.
"Keep in mind my rural [schools] out there on the Moapa Indian reservation, they have no [connectivity] as it relates to the computer and the Chromebooks; they have nothing out there on that reservation," said Clark County School Board Trustee Dr. Linda Young.
The board approved the plan by a 7-0 vote.
RELATED: Here's how some Clark County private schools are handling reopening
The plan also includes exceptions for rural schools to return to in-person classroom instruction if certain COVID-19 safety criteria are met.
The board plans to revisit the decision every 30 days and make adjustments as necessary.
It is unclear what will happen to support staff that may not be needed while students are learning from home, such as bus drivers.
There was also no clear direction for how students who have difficulty with internet access will be able to learn from a distance.
RELATED: CCSD full-time virtual learning proposal leaves many families wondering what to do
The board also approved a hybrid model for "professional development" for staff which is set to begin on Aug. 5.
Staff will have the option to attend in-person instruction, telework or a mix between the two.
Cox Communications has announced a program for low-income families to get internet access at a discounted rate.
The program includes two free months of internet, free modem rental and a discounted rate of $9.95 per month.
Details on how to sign up for the program can be found here.
UPDATE: The Clark County School Board has voted to move forward with a plan that includes full-time distance learning for ALL students when the school year starts on Aug. 24.
CCSD SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IS HAPPENING NOW:
Parents across the Las Vegas valley are waiting to hear whether or not they'll send their child to school for the 2020-2021 school year, and a possible decision could be made tonight.
The Clark County School District Board of School Trustees is holding a special meeting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. Watch the meeting live here once it begins.
Earlier today, the Clark County Education Association teacher's union released a statement calling on the district to approve a distance learning model.
CCSD staff have previously said they will make a distance learning recommendation to the board at the meeting tonight.
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