Lexington County and state school board members are divided on the question.

49.68% agree parents should have a choice of sending their children to school or continuing with online/paper instruction at home.

50.32% oppose it, some noting that this will put an additional burden on teachers.

This is among the finding of a SC School Boards Association survey of 591 board members governing the state’s 79 school districts.

As the state prepares to reopen school, board members want a range of options, not universal mandates, to do what best meets the needs of their students and communities.

 In the survey, they support:

• Flexibility to prepare for students and teachers to safely return

· 53.23% rank the health of students and staff as the #1 priority.

• Class and school bus size to allow physical distancing are concerns.

·  66.77% back partial or split scheduling.

For example, some students would attend  Monday-Wednesday-Friday and some Tuesday-Thursday, alternating weekly with online instruction on the days they are not in school.

Those opposed point to the complexity of this, noting conflicts with childcare options and lack of internet availability.

· Only 37.1% would favor beginning school in July to review instruction provided during the closure.

Several suggested teachers need time to regroup.

 • Time at the beginning of the year to review instruction during the closure and additional tutoring for students  who need extra assistance

· 68% believe families are satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the quality of online and/or paper-based instruction but there is no substitute for classroom learning.

· Only 20% believe online or paper-based instruction is as good as in-school instruction.

· 80.97% support students beginning the school year at their next level.

• 66% support giving parents the choice to repeat their current grade.

 • A waiver to suspend end-of-the year standardized tests so teachers can focus teaching and learning

· 82.9% believe that the state should seek a waiver to suspend student standardized testing again next year to allow educators extra time to focus on student learning.