KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It is no secret the Knox County Schools virtual program has been smooth for some and rather difficult for others but the difference between the virtual school program and the QuEST program added an extra layer for some parents.
"Being home I think he's just been able to focus more," Jackie Romo said. Her 4th grade son is in QuEST and she believes it has made things easier on him.
However other families feel differently. Brian Degraff's 6th grader was in QuEST for three days and he pushed to get him switched out.
"My son, me, my wife...we couldn't figure out how to work the modules," he said.
Email exchanges between the board of education and the superintendent show the system only anticipated half the current number of virtual students it has today. Based on surveys it expected between 8,000 and 11,000.
The email goes on to say the goal would be to have 80% of students in the school-based virtual learning and 20% in QuEST. That would account for no more than 2,000 total for it's virtual program, which is partly asynchronous meaning not all of it is with a real time teacher and some content is recorded. System leaders initially told WBIR it was intended for high school students. However in an email KCS confirmed 800 elementary students are enrolled in QuEST. We are still waiting to find out how many are in the program total.
Back in August we interviewed Degraff. His 6th grade son, who has an individualized education program or IEP, was enrolled in Quest. He later got him pulled out.
"The three days my son was in QuEST were very frustrating," he said.
Now his son is in the school-based program and is doing much better.
"The teachers at Hardin Valley Middle School are doing a heroic effort and my son is learning."
However, Romo said her 4th grader is having a good experience.
"My son is doing better with his grades than he ever was," she added.
Though there are varying opinions on how QuEST is going for virtual students, it clear there will be more questions about how it will roll out into the spring semester.