By Elizabeth Lolli, Ph.D.

Superintendent, Dayton Public Schools

The 2019-20 school year did not end as we all expected. In the month of March, schools around the country moved from face to face instruction to an online environment. COVID-19 very quickly transformed nearly every aspect of our lives.

The Dayton Public Schools, like many other districts, had to not only tackle how to continue a high-quality education for students in a completely different format, but also how to connect students to their teachers and fellow classmates when modern-day utilities like internet access and a computer were not always accessible to students.

DPS ultimately distributed over 4,000 Chromebooks to families in need of a device and more than 1,800 WiFi hotspots, along with stationing 32 buses equipped with WiFi throughout Dayton neighborhoods each week in order to provide students with the tools they needed to continue their education at home. DPS also made several calls to students and their families in an effort to locate all enrolled students.

The COVID-era of education will likely have a lasting impact on school districts, families and students. Although many of these changes have been difficult, there are still silver linings for students, teachers and communities. 

Students have learned invaluable skills because they quickly adapted to using technology as their primary means of education. Despite some challenges, they were ultimately very successful in doing so. These students are growing up in a digital world that requires them to be flexible. They may one day take college courses online or have a career that requires them to work remotely. These skills, along with learning how to be self-motivated in order to complete their work at home, will serve them well in the future. 

Teachers have also benefited because they now know how to effectively educate students of all grade levels remotely. A recent parent survey found that DPS parents felt the same high-quality education students received in the classroom carried over to online instruction. Besides learning new tools and technology, teachers learned how to engage a group of students joining a class virtually. 

COVID-19 school closures also demonstrated the necessity of internet access for all. While schools across the country found creative solutions for getting internet and devices into the hands of students, the fact that the internet is no longer a luxury, but rather a utility, became clear. The inequity in connectivity and access seen around Ohio, alone, indicates that change must occur.

As schools plan for a number of reopening possibilities in the fall, perhaps one of the biggest obstacles is ensuring all students will have access to the internet and a device if schools must once again move to online instruction. This pandemic has shifted the “school as normal” conversation to a broader conversation about how technology and blended teaching and learning models can be used effectively for all students. 

Although we do not yet know what schooling will look like this fall, I am confident that DPS students and teachers will be prepared for any possibility and can adapt as needed to any changes that arise. It has been a challenging few months for all of us, but the outcomes that we have seen overall have been positive thanks to the students, their families, and the committed staff in the Dayton Public School District.