Enrollment deadlines loom, parents must choose between remote or in-person back-to-school plan

As more school districts announce their back-to-school plans, the deadline is looming for parents to choose between learning remotely or returning to the classroom this fall.

A survey by the app TruePublic found that 45% of parents in Illinois are not comfortable with sending kids back to school.

That's why Sunil Prasad, a parent of two children in Naperville School District 203, said he opted for remote learning and enrolling them in an online academy as a safety measure.

"I'm as strong as my neighbor, my community, the city the country," said Prasad. "It's an infectious disease we are dealing with."

The deadline to enroll in Naperville's online academy is Wednesday. The other option is a hybrid of in-person instruction and e-learning. Many parents and students say there is no perfect choice.

"I wanted to do the online version but I definitely liked the hybrid kind because I could see my friends," said student Nithik Prasad.

That's why Lara Krupicka said she chose the hybrid model for her high school junior.

"She's highly social, she needs personal interaction, so we felt like we need the hybrid to give her that in person and help socially and learning," said Krupicka.

The only choice for Stevenson High School students in Lincolnshire is remote learning, likely through January.

A Stevenson High School spokesperson said, "All of the procedures and protocols required to ensure student and adult safety would have created an unhealthy learning environment for our students and teachers, and would have presented formidable logistical challenges that would be very difficult to overcome."