Learning during COVID-19: Carmen Schools of Science and Technology
Advance planning and quick work allowed full distance learning rollout for 2,100 students
By: Isral DeBruin
As schools shift to serve students remotely during the COVID-19 crisis, some are emerging as standouts. These schools aren’t stopping at basic worksheet packets and instead are offering their students coordinated, school-wide, comprehensive distance learning. City Forward Collective is highlighting these schools to spread best practices and encourage others to keep students moving forward.
In late February, leaders of Carmen Schools of Science and Technology attended a conference alongside school superintendents and charter school heads from across the country. Between conference sessions, the same topic kept coming up in chats with attendees from coastal cities: Plans for distance learning in the event of school building closures.
Those conversations weren’t yet happening back in Milwaukee, where it still felt as if COVID-19 may never spread widely enough to prompt school shutdowns. As the Carmen team returned home, they resolved to ensure their schools could continue serving students during a school closure, if one occurred.
As weeks passed, it became clear: the only remaining question was “when” schools would close — not “if.”
While the situation in Wisconsin changed by the minute, the Carmen team continued planning, preparing, and addressing potential barriers to students accessing distance learning. Which students would need Chromebooks? Which families lacked internet access?
On March 13 — just three hours before Gov. Tony Evers announced schools would close the following week — Carmen leaders convened school staff to share the plan for distance learning. With no time to spare, classroom teachers and instructional leaders set to work creating lesson plans and materials, including websites, Google Classrooms, and video science labs. In a matter of days, they distributed nearly 900 Chromebooks to students without home computers and mailed hard copy learning materials to more than 500 homes without internet access.
All the advance preparation paid off: The 2,100 students served across Carmen’s five campuses began distance learning the first day of Wisconsin’s statewide school closure. In addition to instructional content prepared in advance, Carmen students began engaging in daily real-time video lessons, group study sessions, 1:1 teacher support, and continued special education for students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).
With distance learning now fully up and running, families stay up-to-date and connected to Carmen’s school communities through weekly communication with school and network leaders, daily video greetings from teachers, and ongoing interaction between teachers, students, and parents via email, texting, phone, and video chat. Students can also access streaming video lunch hours and morning assemblies, and can log on to see their friends.
Middle and high school advisors check in on each students’ wellbeing weekly, and convene advisory groups via video conference. High school advisors are also supporting students as they navigate course selections for next school year.
To meet staff needs, Carmen leaders have provided clear guidance for distance learning, family communication, and student feedback. These parameters allow teachers the flexibility to engage students while also meeting their own personal and family needs.
Classroom teachers, school leaders, and network staff members continue solving problems and refining their approach to distance learning. They’ve also provided support to other educators and school leaders in Milwaukee and across the country working through their own distance learning challenges.
One continued focus is ensuring internet access for students in need. That means purchasing wireless hotspots, paying overdue account balances, and helping families navigate the process of signing up with an internet service provider.
To cover these costs and other urgent needs among members of the Carmen community, the school network has established a special support fund. So far, more than $86,000 has been raised. In addition to eliminating barriers to distance learning for current students, the fund is also being used to support Carmen alumni currently enrolled in college.
Click here to contribute to the fund.
FACTS & FIGURES
Carmen Schools of Science andTechnology operates five public charter schools authorized by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors.
South High School Campus
- Grades: 9–12
- Enrollment: 368 students
- Student demographics: 97.3% Latin@; 1.4% Black; 0.8% White; 0.5% Asian
- Students from economically disadvantaged households: 89.7%
- Students with special needs: 8.7%
- Students with limited English proficiency: 26.4%
- State rating: Significantly Exceeds Expectations
Northwest Middle/High School Campus
- Grades: 6–12
- Enrollment: 670 students
- Student demographics: 86.1% Black; 6.6% Latin@; 4.3% White; 1.6% Asian; 0.9% Two or More Races; 0.3% American Indian; 0.1% Pacific Islander
- Students from economically disadvantaged households: 85.8%
- Students with special needs: 15.8%
- Students with limited English proficiency: 1.6%
- State rating: Meets Expectations
Southeast High School Campus
- Grades: 9–12
- Enrollment: 726 students
- Student demographics: 91.6% Latin@; 4.3% Black; 3.2% White; 0.3% American Indian; 0.3% Asian; 0.3% Two or More Races; 0.1% Unknown
- Students from economically disadvantaged households: 90.5%
- Students with special needs: 11.7%
- Students with limited English proficiency: 29.9%
- State rating: Meets Expectations
South Middle School Campus
- Grades: 6–7
- Enrollment: 148 students
- Student demographics: 91.2% Latin@; 4.1% Black; 2.7% White; 1.4% Two or More Races; 0.7% Asian
- Students from economically disadvantaged households: 91.9%
- Students with special needs: 9.5%
- Students with limited English proficiency: 39.9%
- State rating: Alternate Rating — Satisfactory Progress
Stellar Elementary School Campus
- Grades: K4–4
- Enrollment: 190 students
- Student demographics: 74.7% Latin@; 18.4% Black; 4.7% White; 1.1% Two or More Races; 0.5% American Indian; 0.5% Pacific Islander
- Students from economically disadvantaged households: 93%
- Students with special needs: 18.6%
- Students with limited English proficiency: 40%
- State rating: Alternate Rating — Needs Improvement
2019–20 data from https://wisedash.dpi.wi.gov/, with additional corrections provided by Carmen Schools of Science & Technology
Isral DeBruin is director of strategy and communication at City Forward Collective. He is a former elementary school teacher and award-winning education reporter.