Monticello schools are joining a large group of central Illinois districts to decline the opportunity to use weather days as at-home learning days.

The State of Illinois has given all districts the chance to use days when the weather prevents students from being in school the opportunity to have kids learn at home, mostly through the use of electronic, thus e-learning days. School leaders in central Illinois are split on the decision and Monticello schools recently declined the opportunity. Dr. Vic Zimmerman says it just wasn't for them.

Dr. Zimmerman has few concerns their upper-levels could pull off an e-learning day but questions how they could make it work at their elementary levels.

The two main concerns for districts were how to make e-learning work for lower-level students and connectivity for their kids. Dr. Zimmerman says while Monticello does not face low-income student ratios like their neighbors, connectivity is certainly an issue for every district at some capacity.

According to Dr. Zimmerman, the guidelines set by Springfield aren't necessarily what he's concerned about, instead, he wants to wait and see how it goes for other districts and find out what kinds of results they have with it.