The Duval County School Board is continuing a meeting that will discuss the district's back-to-school plan Wednesday morning following a Tuesday session that lasted over six hours.
The back-to-school plan for Duval County Public Schools may be seeing some major adjustments following the Florida Department of Education's emergency order that all public and charter schools in the state must reopen five days a week in August.
During the discussion Tuesday, the board voted to allow students who choose Duval Virtual Instruction Academy, which is not Duval Homeroom, to be able to keep their spot at their home schools. This was a concern, especially for charter school parents.
Elementary school students are able to use Duval Home Room, says Duval School Board Chairman Warren Jones.
However, Superintendent Diana Greene said nothing right now is set in stone. She said the district is exploring other education options.
"This afternoon, we worked with the team and we prepared to offer different plans," Greene said. "We are prepared to pivot with this new information," she said.
As far as moving the start date for schools, Greene said if they do that, it would impact teacher's pay. So, she said she's confident they can come up with a plan in time for the first day of school. The school system is planning a workshop to alter its reopening plan and has to submit its plan to the state by July 31.
A handful of parents in the public comments said they want their children to go back to in-person learning.
As a result of the order, school districts cannot schedule certain students to spend part of their time in school and part of their time at home, which DCPS had told First Coast News it was considering as part of its back-to-school plan. Every student must have the option of being in school five days a week.
