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WGLT's reporting on the coronavirus pandemic, which began in McLean County in March 2020.

Substantial Numbers Of Unit 5 Students To Stay Remote

Exterior of Unit 5 offices
Emily Bollinger
/
WGLT
Between 200 and 300 students per grade in the Unit 5 District will continue to attend class virtually even after the hybrid structure begins later this month.

Even with COVID-19 case numbers falling in Bloomington-Normal in recent weeks, a lot of Unit 5 school district parents don't want their kids returning to the classroom.

The district has reported parents of 22.6% of students have chosen to stay with remote learning when Unit 5 goes back to a hybrid class schedule starting Oct. 19. That's about 2,829 students roughly evenly distributed across grade levels.

Unit 5 - total students: 12,500

No. choosing to stay virtual: 2,829

  • 1,313 elementary
  • 684 middle school
  • 816 high school
  • 16 other

The hybrid class schedule will have students in classrooms two days a week. All students will have remote learning on Wednesdays.
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WGLT Senior Reporter Charlie Schlenker has spent more than three award-winning decades in radio. He lives in Normal with his family.