Emergency National Virtual Discussions: Tools, Strategies and Lessons for Online Learning

The second installment of the Emergency National Virtual Discussions dug into the practical details of online learning, highlighting the apps, platforms, and systems that U.S. education leaders rely on to meet the demands of remote instruction during the COVID-19 crisis.

Preparing Districts for Rapid Transition to Virtual Learning

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Learning Counsel CEO LeiLani Cauthen and her team have been in continuous conversation with districts across the country, advising on technology mixes and implementation strategies. Cauthen emphasized the sheer scale and variety of available resources: professional-grade education vendors number in the thousands, and when you include repositories and teacher-created marketplaces, the volume of content is overwhelming.

Her advice to districts during the emergency shift was pragmatic: be prepared to invest in professional-grade solutions when needed. If teachers do not have their lessons organized within a learning management system, extended offline periods can quickly lead to disengagement. District leaders must also consider the workload impact on teachers—adding many apps without coordination can overwhelm staff and complicate delivery for students.

One core recommendation Cauthen shared: prioritize building and maintaining community. Provide clear guidance on which tools to use, limit the number of platforms teachers must manage, and support teachers with training and organized workflows so students have a consistent experience.

Garland ISD: Planning, Devices, and Weekly Parent Guides

Dr. Jasna Aliefendic, Coordinator of Tech Apps for Garland Independent School District, described how the district extended spring break to give staff time to prepare. During that interim week they published online resources for students and worked on logistics to distribute devices to families without technology at home.

Garland ISD developed emergency learning guides and shared them publicly for the region. While they acknowledged they were not fully prepared for every eventuality, the district had advantages: most textbooks were web-based, teachers were trained on Google Classroom, and the district used a single sign-on system (ReadyHub/Enboard) to streamline access. Devices such as iPads, Chromebooks or laptops were provided at least one per household where needed.

On the curriculum side, coordinators created pacing guides and learning plans aligned to scope and sequence. Teachers received shareable learning documents stored in Google Drive so they could adapt and post materials to their Google Classroom. In addition, Garland generated weekly parent guides outlining objectives, activities and assignment expectations. These guides emphasized flexibility—students were generally given a week to complete work rather than daily deadlines—recognizing many families face competing responsibilities such as remote work, caring for siblings, or employment in essential jobs.

St. Vrain Valley Schools: Consistency, LMS Choice and Localized Support

Kahle Charles, Assistant Superintendent for Assessment, Curriculum and Instruction at St. Vrain Valley Schools, explained how the district used this moment to expand its online presence and unify practices across schools. St. Vrain limited options to two approved learning management systems—one for PreK–3 and another for grades 4–12—to reduce fragmentation and simplify training.

The district also leveraged existing conferencing software (WebEx) for live instruction and professional development. Importantly, human capital was reorganized to provide focused, real-time support: curriculum coordinators, instructional technology coordinators, and learning technology coaches were each assigned to a specific school to assist teachers and principals directly. This model of school-based online support helped teachers adapt more quickly and consistently.

Key Takeaways and Practical Recommendations

The discussion surfaced several practical takeaways for districts navigating virtual learning:

• Choose a limited set of core platforms to reduce teacher and student complexity, and enforce consistent single sign-on where possible.
• Prioritize investments in professional-grade content and infrastructure when necessary to maintain instructional continuity.
• Provide clear, structured learning plans and pacing guides that teachers can adopt and adapt for their classrooms.
• Support families with concise weekly guides that set expectations and accommodate flexibility given competing household responsibilities.
• Organize support systems so instructional and technology leaders are aligned and assigned to schools for real-time assistance.

Watch the Discussion

This session offers detailed, actionable strategies for sustaining student engagement and delivering quality instruction during prolonged periods of remote learning. Education leaders and practitioners will find examples of district-level planning, technology choices, and support structures they can adapt to their own contexts.