Not the time for virtual high school

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/12/2022 (735 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It appeared in the spring of 2021 that Heather Stefanson was intent on moving education out of the political spotlight and ending the Bill 64 adventure when she announced that, if elected as leader by her party, she would kill the bill.

Following the demise of Bill 64, Manitoba Education regrouped and developed its K-12 action plan. There was a sigh of relief within public education, as we all were trying to navigate the pandemic, protect learners and staff, and wade through the storm in varying ways to mitigate the devastating academic impacts on learners.

But strange things are still afoot. The Progressive Conservative government is borrowing money to give those who own substantial property — including large corporations — massive rebates, and as yet has no plan to fund education sustainably.

The province is also pondering a new funding formula that provokes more questions than answers for school divisions — particularly if a new model does not mean more funding for public education.

And Manitoba Education is now also proposing to create a virtual high school. For many, this might seem like a strategic program, setting up online courses for high school students to take virtually from anywhere in the province. Learners in Popular River could take a maths course. Learners in Birtle could study global issues.

But this is where the picture gets murky.

When explaining the rationale for a virtual high school, Manitoba Education has seemed somewhat unsure, indicating that a virtual school would serve home-schooled children and northern communities — despite the former falling outside the Public Schools Act, and the latter not having stable and reliable internet access.

Further rationale for the virtual high school has also been placed on two key reports. The first is one was conducted by IBM, suggesting Manitoba Education is compelled to create a virtual high school. That’s correct — one of the largest multinational companies on the planet advising that Manitoba should spend public money on a system created by IBM.

The second is the Report of the Commission on K-12 Education, developed by PC government appointees.

Additionally, Manitoba Education has yet to cost out the new virtual high school or indicate that new monies will be used to support it. If funds are taken from the current dwindling pie for public education, we have a problem.

We are still in a pandemic. Learners, particularly those living in poverty, have been adversely affected by school interruptions. We are seeing massive gaps in learning with our most vulnerable learners, and all hands and resources should be on deck to support these learners.

And let’s be clear, the virtual high school is not being designed for all learners. It is not being designed for learners with special needs, learners with limited or no access to devices, learners who live in cramped quarters, or learners who live in remote areas of the province.

Using public funds to cater to those who have, and who for the most part have fared well during the pandemic, is egregious and should be shocking to Manitobans.

A virtual high school is not designed to create equitable educational experiences. It is designed to provide enrichment for those who have — analogous to a Grade 12 International Baccalaureate (IB) class with 10 learners, while the regular class has 30.

Lastly, we know virtual teaching did not equate to significant learning for most during the pandemic. We see the results daily and the ongoing ramifications. Recruiting and training teachers to effectively teach remotely is a monumental and resource-heavy task.

Teaching to transform online is incredibly difficult. It is not simply uploading slides to Google Classroom. As educators, we know the two most powerful impacts on learning are 1) understanding what the child already knows and where we want to take them, and 2) the minute-by-minute feedback that pushes thinking and learning forward.

To do this asynchronously is impossible; doing it synchronously is, at best, challenging. While there is a time and place for remote or hybrid teaching, it must be locally designed, based on relationships and focused on the needs of the community.

If public education is a public good designed to create just and sustainable societies, public resources need to be used to ensure all Manitobans have the means for a decent life. Creating a virtual high school, in its current form, is an act of elitism and robs the public education system of precious resources to ensure our most vulnerable learners have the knowledge and skills they’ll need to uphold a democratic society.

As occurred with Bill 64, let’s hope Manitoba Education takes a pause and focuses on what matters: supporting a public education system that is equitable and levels the playing field.

If we are set on a virtual high school, it needs to be funded with new monies and focused on the learners who need it most.

Matt Henderson is assistant superintendent of the Seven Oaks School Division.