COLUMBIA, SC (FOX Carolina) Living rooms and kitchen tables are your child’s new classrooms all because of the coronavirus- a new pandemic we’re all becoming students of.

“To students, I want to say that I’m sorry that you’re missing school, we miss you,” South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said.

FOX Carolina talked to Spearman about E-learning throughout the state.

“About half of our districts are able to do some type of E-learning. About 20 of those are doing all technology, others are doing a blended process,” Spearman said.

She says the coronavirus is teaching lessons about where technology gaps need to be filled- especially in rural areas.

‘We’re working with ETV to see if they can use their TV towers to send out data to students over their television sets and a host of other ideas,” Spearman said.

She believes new funding could help with technology.

“We’re about to receive 216 million dollars in funding from the U.S. Department of Education through the Cares Act. Ninety percent of that funding will go straight to school districts,” Spearman said.

Many seniors are wondering if they will have a high school graduation.

“There’s some pretty good ideas going on, drive-by graduation where a student and his family would pull up in front of the school, get out, take the pictures they need, hand the diploma,” Spearman said.

She says it’s important for students to turn in assignments.

“Now your grades for those credit-bearing courses will be averaged into one semester grade,” Spearman said.

She wants teachers and students back in schools.

“We are using data, working with our health professionals, working with scientists- what’s the best plan and also with our school districts,” Spearman said.

However, she doesn’t know when they’ll leave their kitchen tables and head back to their desks.

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