JC Schools say surveys will help shape re-entry plan

This April 2020 photo shows parked school buses in Jefferson City operated by First Student Transportation.
This April 2020 photo shows parked school buses in Jefferson City operated by First Student Transportation.

With summer more than halfway finished, Jefferson City School District leaders say they are using back-to-school survey results from families and staff to create a re-entry plan for the fall semester.

The district's goal for publicly releasing re-entry plans is July 15, according to a letter from JC Schools sent to families Thursday. The plan will be sent to families and published on the JC Schools' webpage for COVID-19 updates.

"The circumstances surrounding the future of the COVID-19 situation change frequently, and often quickly, but we are hopeful that our re-entry plan and accompanying options will allow some flexibility for families to make the best decisions for themselves," the letter states.

JC Schools sent back-to-school surveys to staff and families June 4 to gauge how they feel about returning to school in the fall.

Most families expressed they are ready to return to in-seat education if there are daily temperature checks, increased sanitation measures and social distancing. About half of families expressed that they are ready to return to in-seat education if they have virtual education three days a week and if face masks are required.

Staff members expressed similar preferences.

"Both results give us a clearer picture of how families and staff are feeling in regards to health and safety while we prepare our re-entry plan," the letter states.

The survey was completed by 3,534 parents representing 4,915 students. The majority of staff and families said they want to return to in-seat classes in the fall.

The survey results will help district leaders in their decisions for re-entry plan details, along with guidance from federal, state and local health officials and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, according to the letter.

"As we have since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we are continually monitoring this changing situation to put in place what we believe is the best re-entry plan for our students, families and staff," the letter states. "We appreciate your patience and understanding while we build a re-entry plan for JC Schools during this challenging time."

District leaders are outlining measures for in-seat classes to resume in the fall while keeping staff and families safe, the letter states. They also plan to have alternative options.

Here is a summary of the survey results from families:

81 percent said they would be likely or very likely to send their students to in-seat school this fall if daily temperature checks are required for students, teachers and staff.

77 percent said they would be likely or very likely to send their students to in-seat school this fall if schools increased sanitation. However, there is concern about whether increased sanitation is plausible based on the number of custodians in buildings and the frequent movement of students.

77 percent said they would be likely or very likely to send their students to in-seat school if schools practiced social distancing.

53 percent said they would be likely or very likely to send their students to in-seat school if JC Schools developed a hybrid education model where students attend in-person school two days per week and virtual education the other three days. There were mixed feelings about hybrid education. Some families liked the idea, other families disliked it, and some families thought it was a good option because it might keep students in school longer in case of another outbreak.

49 percent said they would be likely or very likely to send their students to in-seat learning but require all students, teachers and staff to wear masks; 31 percent were not likely or very not likely; and 20 percent were neutral.

Nearly 45 percent of parents whose students ride the bus said they would be likely or very likely to allow their students to ride the bus if masks were required, while 36 percent said they would be unlikely or very unlikely to allow their child to ride the bus if masks were required.

26 percent said they would be likely or very likely to enroll their students in 100 percent virtual learning over in-seat instruction if given the option. Some families would like this option as they have students or family members with illnesses or underlying conditions.

Staff members are ready to return to in-seat education with increased sanitation, temperature checks and social distancing.

Here is a summary of survey results from staff:

- Staff had the choice to rank the type of work environment they would be most comfortable with (with one being most comfortable). The options were in-seat traditional learning with increased sanitation, in-seat with social distancing, in-seat with teachers and students wearing masks, in-seat with temperature checks for all, hybrid (mix of online and in-seat) education, and 100 percent virtual learning.

Of these options, increased sanitation was the top choice, temperature checks was the second choice and social distancing was the third choice. Forty-seven percent listed increased sanitation as their first choice, 12 percent listed it as their second choice, and 8 percent listed it as their third choice. Thirteen percent listed temperature checks as their first choice, 29 percent listed it as their second choice, and 25 percent listed it as their third choice. Seven percent listed social distancing as their first choice, 30 percent listed it as their second choice, and 28 percent listed it as their third choice.

- Staff also had the choice to rank their concerns. The options were sanitation, social distancing, teachers -and students wearing masks, teachers and staff wearing masks, teacher and student temperature checks, "all of equal importance," and "none of these are important."

Of these options, sanitation was No. 1, "all of equal importance" was No. 2, and social distancing was No. 3. Fifty-two percent listed sanitation as their first choice, 16 percent listed it as their second concern, and 9 percent listed it as their third concern. Thirty-six percent listed "all of equal importance" as their first concern, 2 percent listed it as their second concern, and 1 percent listed it as their third concern. Ten percent listed social distancing as their first concern, 28 percent listed it as their second concern, and 16 percent listed it as their third concern.

- Along with these rankings, 73.6 percent of staff said increased sanitation is extremely or very important to them, 45.6 percent said social distancing is extremely or very important to them, and 42.7 percent said temperature checks are extremely or very important to them.

- About 50 percent of staff said requiring masks for students, teachers and staff is not important to them, and 57.2 percent said requiring masks for only teachers and staff is not important to them.

- About 19 percent said a hybrid education model where students attend in-person school two days per week and virtual education three days a week is extremely important to them, 16.5 percent said it is very important, 20.2 percent said it is somewhat important, 21.6 percent said it is not so important, and 22.3 percent said it is not at all important.

A full, detailed report of the survey results can be found on the JC Schools COVID-19 Updates webpage.