TAMPA, Fla. — As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the country, Florida students are gearing up for online learning, which will officially start on March 30 for most districts in the state.
Hillsborough County students launched it's Edsby program this morning. It wasn't a smooth launch for hundreds of parents and students. Several people messaged ABC Action News saying they couldn't log into the system.
"It wasn't a Hillsborough issue," Superintendent Addison Davis said. "It was a software company issue with Edsby. That's now fixed."
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School officials are prepared for the possibility of students having more issues with the program throughout the week, which is why they are using this week to allow everyone to get familiar with it.
"We have the entire week to educate teachers, students and parents," said Davis.
Graded work and full eLearning will start next Monday.
All Florida schools are expected to be closed until April 15. Davis said the district is prepared if the Department of Education extends the closure.
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"We have built a plan from now until the end of the school year," Davis said. "We're ready to go."
Davis said the district will provide a laptop or some other device for students who don't have a computer at home. Parents will be able to go to designated schools to check out the device starting Wednesday, March 25.
Also, employees will go to some neighborhoods, "to give devices or provide instruction printed packets so that the continuous learning process takes place every single day."
Spectrum is providing free Wifi for 60 days.
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It's important the students and parents are keeping up with the work on Edsby.
"State connected," Davis said. "Our teachers are working to upload lessons everyday."
