Gov. Doug Ducey announced earlier this week that all Arizona schools will need to delay the start of school until Aug. 17, 2020, for in-person classes.
Casteel said in a letter to families and staff July 1 that the district will begin Aug. 5, with all instruction delivered through Chandler Online Academy or a "virtual format."
The letter asked families to select the student's preferred delivery system when schools can reopen.
In a proposed online-only option, for students who plan to attend Chandler Online Academy for a minimum of one quarter, grades K-6 will enroll in Elementary Connect at Chandler Online Academy, and grades 7-12 will enroll in Chandler Online Academy, where Florida Virtual Curriculum or customized courses will be offered for a number of areas.
The Chandler Online Academy options for elementary and grades 7-12 will have increased teacher interaction, according to Casteel.
In-person options for K-12 will begin the school year through a virtual learning experience using Google Classroom. The student will be assigned to a teacher from their enrolled school with an established schedule in order to cover all areas of the curriculum, according to Casteel. The teacher and students will transition to in-person at the school site when allowed to do so, Casteel said in the letter.
The combined in-person and online option, known as concurrent enrollment, will be available for grades 7-12 when schools are allowed to open for in-person instruction, Casteel said. In the meantime, this option will be delivered virtually.
"We believe it is important to begin teaching and learning as soon as possible to help address a potential achievement gap," Casteel said. "We will always prioritize student learning and understand that the community relies on various services, including counseling, social work, food services, childcare, etc. and prefer not to delay these services."
