You might not know that itâs against Wisconsin law for a public school to start a new school year before Sept. 1. In light of learning losses as a result of the virtual-only learning forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, some school districts are seeking an exemption. We think such exemptions should be allowed for the 2021-22 school year.
Mark Gruen, district administrator for the Royall School District in Elroy, summed up the past 12 months as âextremely challenging,â the Wisconsin State Journal reported April 12.
Gruenâs district halted in-person classes in March 2020, after Gov. Tony Eversâ order closed schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. While Royall reopened last fall with public health precautions in place, some students have continued taking online courses and many have faced a loss of learning. âWeâve got some kids who are lagging behind,â Gruen said.