ORLANDO, Fla. — Monday was the first day of distance learning for many schools across Florida and it came with some system glitches in one county.
Teachers have been getting ready for this over the last week and now thousands of students start a new venture of trying to get their education on their own from home.
School districts throughout Central Florida have been gearing up for weeks to make the abrupt shift, hoping kids can get in a new groove that may last the rest of the school year.
Read: Orange County, Osceola County stay-at-home order: What does it mean?
According to the Florida Department of Education website, distance learning is still scheduled to be in effect through April 15, but that may change as the spread of the threatening coronavirus continues to defy prediction.
Some districts in Florida have already begun distance learning by coming back from an earlier spring break. Sumter County began their online learning last week.
Orange County school officials held a press conference Monday where they pointed out that they received over 50,000 logins from students around the same time, which led to other students having some difficulties logging in due to system glitches.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Coronavirus cases in Florida
You can view the press conference below:
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State education leaders are also giving districts the option of extending the school year into June if needed.
“I think this opportunity is going to teach us a lot especially in the elementary sector,” said Superintendent Walt Griffin of Seminole County Public Schools. We have a K-12 virtual program but the majority of students are from secondary so I think we are going to have some opportunities to really see this as leveling the playing field a little bit."
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