NJ Spotlight published the following article on April 23, 2014. To read the full article, click here.
HIGH SCHOOL’S VIRTUAL ‘SNOW DAY’ STILL ADRIFT IN STATE BUREAUCRACY LIMBO
Bergen County district scales back spring break as it awaits decision on whether online learning counts as regular school day
The bid by Pascack Valley Regional High School District officials to make up a snow day with a “virtual day” of online learning has taught them a lesson: Technology may move fast, but state bureaucracy doesn’t.
The Bergen County district had asked the state Department of Education for special approval to allow it to count a Feb. 13 day of online instruction as a regular school day.
Like many other school districts this winter, Pascack Valley had run out of snow days and was hoping to not have to eliminate another day from spring break.
So, in a closely watched test case for schools statewide, the high school district — where every student is provided with a laptop computer — had teachers and students conduct a full day of classes from their homes when schools were closed due to inclement weather on Feb. 13.