MEMPHIS, Tenn. — School is in session online for Shelby County students, but some 3,000 SCS students haven’t shown up for classes or picked up their devices.
Shelby County Schools started classes August 31, virtually. But thousands of Shelby County School students aren’t in front of their computers learning now that school has started.
The information was revealed at a school board committee meeting Tuesday.
The school system says about 90,000 of the projected 95,000 enrolled students picked up their computers to learn at home. But 5,000 still haven’t.
Taking out about 2,100 who are using their own devices, that leaves a lot of students who aren’t getting instruction at all.
Some of those students may have transferred, SCS officials said. The school system is reaching out to families.
Parents with the United Shelby County Council PTA say it’s not necessarily parents’ fault.
“I think it has a lot to do with the technology, like she said, being able to pick up the laptops, as well as being able to go on and stay on. Because even the children who have the laptops are having difficulties,” Sherrie Partee said.
SCS communications official Jerica Phillips said the district is identifying all the obstacles or barriers or any updated information from that family in regards to why they have not picked up their devices.
PTA leaders say there is something we can all do.
“Whether you have a job, working two jobs, school still starts. Our kids need their education,” said Denozanna Moore, president of United Shelby County Council PTA. “If you know someone who does not have their child in school, pick up the phone, knock on the door.”
