As it looks likely that students won’t return to school anytime soon due to the COVID-19 pandemic, districts around the region have been moving quickly to roll out preliminary distance-learning plans and assess which students have internet access.

The state Education Department on Monday began advising districts to "shift thinking from supplemental learning, which was intended for short-term cancellations, to distance learning, which is intended to serve as an alternative to learning in a school house." Plans will expand in scope as each district addresses the many roadblocks to providing every student access to education.

Some districts have been handing out supplemental learning packets to students until more detailed plans are put in place, while others  — including Region 18, which serves Lyme and Old Lyme — began sending students home with school-owned laptops or tablets on Friday.

“Our expectation is that districts provide access to continued education to all students, including special education students, to the greatest extent possible,” state Education Department spokesperson Peter Yazbak said Thursday.

He said districts that immediately make efforts to provide continuing education to all students can end their academic year on or closer to originally planned dates.

To help districts, the department has compiled a combination of print and digital resources to engage students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade during the indefinite closure. It also has posted some districts’ already implemented plans as guidance for those that are further behind, Yazbak said.

Responding to the fact that some districts will more easily be able to roll out distance learning than others, Yazbak said that’s been accounted for during Education Department conversations. He said the department is encouraging “a stronger together” approach and advising districts to share plans with one another to draw ideas for curriculums.

“We understand there are technological capability differences among students and there are issues implementing special education,” Yazbak said. “But right now, we are trying to provide the resources, to help districts put together the plan and start developing it to the greatest extent possible. That’s what we expect.”

Helping smooth out that process, Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order Tuesday eliminating a waiver process districts would have had to follow to begin planning for distance learning.

The state also suspended its 180-day requirement for the academic year.

Those moves have fallen in line with federal changes.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced students impacted by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic can bypass standardized testing for the 2019-20 academic year and will begin granting waivers to states unable to assess their students.

State Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona and the governor announced this week that Connecticut is pursuing one of those waivers. Cardona also announced the state also is working with The College Board to determine how to best administer the SAT, “since the test plays an important role in high school students’ college acceptance, placement, and entrance.”

DeVos said in a news release Friday that “students need to be focused on staying healthy and continuing to learn. Teachers need to be able to focus on remote learning and other adaptations. Neither students nor teachers need to be focused on high-stakes tests during this difficult time.”

Equal access is a challenge

This week, as schools have sent out surveys to parents gauging which households do not have internet access, and other limitations, several districts also began sending out and posting preliminary distance learning plans informing parents of what’s soon to come.

In its letter to parents Friday, Norwich Public Schools outlined a phased learning approach that begins with orienting families about available internet resources before the district eventually begins to upload distance learning programs in reading, math, science and social studies on its website.

Norwich Free Academy, on the other hand, has posted a suggested learning schedule for students to stick to, as well as learning websites such as the Khan Academy to begin using before more robust plans are released.

NFA spokesman Michael O'Farrell acknowledged Friday the challenges districts are facing implementing these measures, especially as not all students have school-provided devices or access to internet at home, as is the case for some of NFA's more than 2,250 students.

"For a school as big as NFA that deals with eight towns, it's the equity and access that presents the biggest challenge," he said. "How do you frame this so it's a level playing field for everyone? Those are the things that will be continually discussing and working on."

Region 18, or Lyme-Old Lyme schools, required its students come in to schools at staggered intervals Friday to pick up materials needed for its learning plans, including Chromebooks, text books and instruments left at the school. Superintendent Ian Neviaser said Tuesday that teachers have been working throughout the week putting together learning plans to begin rolling out this coming week.

Stonington Public Schools also will begin distributing devices to students this coming week to kick off its learning plans March 30, Superintendent Van Riley wrote in an email.

Ledyard Public Schools is planning to begin its distance-learning plans Tuesday. In a letter to parents, Superintendent Jason Hartling wrote that students and parents will receive login information to access a platform with learning activities and assignments based on grade level.

“This method of support is new to us as a community, and as such, we will have many learning opportunities and experiences from which to grow and build upon,” he wrote. “There will certainly be some details we will need to address, revise and improve in the coming days.”

m.biekert@theday.com