About 54 percent of students will report in person to Gwinnett County Public Schools when the new semester begins next month, compared to 45 percent of students this semester, according to the results of a parent survey that closed Sunday.
The families of nearly 84,000 students completed the survey, which asked parents to choose the type of instruction they want for their child. The number of returned surveys represents a 47-percent response rate and those who did not complete the questionnaire will continue with the same instruction model as this semester.
Nearly 80 percent of respondents requested the same instructional model as they currently have, according to the district.
Gwinnett is one of the few metro Atlanta school districts to offer in-person learning this semester amid the coronavirus pandemic. As cases of the virus trended upward before Thanksgiving break, the Gwinnett school board meeting filled with teachers and parents advocating for and against a total shutdown of school buildings.
One mother, Melissa Bunson, fought back tears as she said her fourth-grade daughter, who has special needs, got a 90 percent on a recent math quiz because she was able to check with the teacher before submitting it.
“These resources are really working for her,” Bunson said. “Without face-to-face learning, children like my daughter fall through the cracks. The accommodations she needs to thrive cannot be effectively implemented in a digital environment.”
As of Tuesday, there were 117 positive COVID-19 cases and 81 suspected cases among staff and students who had been reporting to Gwinnett school buildings.
The state of Georgia has confirmed 424,929 cases and 8,798 deaths due to COVID-19 since March, according to data updated Tuesday.
