Brockton High School denied request to continue hybrid learning

BOSTON — The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education denied tons of waivers from high schools requesting to remain remote for the rest of the year. Among the schools denied, one of them is one of the largest high schools in the area.

Brockton High School leaders just learned they have to go back to full-time, in-person learning on Monday, May 17. Now they are scrambling to get everything ready.

On the school’s website, it says after a site visit on Monday, DESE officials felt Brockton High School could accommodate students at three feet of social distancing if some adjustments were made to learning spaces. Spacing was a main concern, as there are about 4,000 students who go to BHS.

Brockton Public Schools released a statement to Boston 25, saying:

“Yesterday morning we were notified that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education denied our request to allow Brockton High School students to complete the 2020-2021 school year in a hybrid learning format. We are moving forward and focusing our attention on doing everything we can to make our students and staff feel comfortable with the transition. Administrators at BHS are prepared to address any parent/guardian concerns. Remote learning will remain an option for our students through the end of the school year.”
— Brockton Public Schools

The school has been doing hybrid learning since April 5. BHS Principal Dr. Clifford Murray said remote learning can remain an option for any family who still would like to keep their child home. Murray added the school is now working to update the bus routes by the end of the week.

This immediate change to full, in-person learning would be in place for just three weeks for seniors as they graduate on June 5. The last day of school for the rest of the grades is June 16.

Brockton High wasn’t the only school that was denied a waiver. DESE will release the full list of which schools were approved and denied later today.

To read Brockton High School’s full announcement, click here.

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