Once she found out that Minneapolis Public Schools would be starting the year with online learning, Katy Armendariz started texting two othÂer famiÂlies about how they could get through it together.
They decided to form a "learning pod" for their children and hire a part-time teacher to help.
The pod of six to seven students, the parents hope, will allow for some social- and group-learning experiences while providing the supervision and child care necessary to allow them to continue their own work.
"We needed a plan," Armendariz said. "We wanted to try to find someone to help."
In Minnesota and naÂtionÂwide, parÂents are rushing to hire teachÂers and form such pods, simÂiÂlar to modÂels that some home-schoolers use.
In adÂdiÂtion to a growÂing numÂber of FaceÂbook groups, sites like PodUp and apps like ThankPod! are conÂnectÂing parÂents lookÂing to form a learnÂing or play group durÂing the panÂdemÂic.
Some of the families are pulling their chilÂdren out of public schools in faÂvor of a priÂvate edÂuÂcaÂtion at home, while othÂers are seekÂing hired help to supÂport and supÂpleÂment the onÂline curÂricÂuÂlum provided by the schools.
But the sudden rise of the student groups is raising questions about how the pandemic could widen the achievement gap and contribute to educational inequities between families who can afford more educational support and those who can't.
That divide was quickly obvious to Heidi Fuhr, a full-time substitute teacher for Minneapolis Public Schools.
She turned to FaceÂbook after Minneapolis' announcement of the distance-learning plan sent her scrambling for other jobs.
When she asked if anyÂone was lookÂing to hire an edÂuÂcaÂtor to assist with virtual lessons, she received dozens of inquiries from families forming learning pods — some of them offering $50 per hour.
"It's heartÂbreakÂing," she said. "I'm thinkÂing a lot about my usuÂal stuÂdents in [north Minneapolis].
I worÂry they are going to be left behind. Their famiÂlies mayÂbe can't afÂford tuÂtors, and the parÂents might not even be home durÂing the dayÂtime to help if they are going to work."
That's something on Armendariz's mind, too.
"I just think about the disparities that will come out of this," she said.
In a statement, officials with Minneapolis Public Schools said they are aware families are all making decisions about how to supplement distance learning.
"Inevitably, this will lead to different outcomes between students who have access to those resources and those who don't," the statement read.
"This already happened before distance learning when families had resources to provide tutoring or other support for their children."
The schools alone cannot solve "a societal issue that reflects the systemic inequities facing underserved families," the statement said.
AÂmanÂda SulÂliÂvan, a proÂfesÂsor of educational psychology and school-psyÂcholÂoÂgy program coÂorÂdiÂnaÂtor at the University of Minnesota, said learnÂing pods are "inherently exclusionary" and will "furÂther harm stuÂdents who have been and will conÂtinÂue to be marÂginÂalÂized" in the edÂuÂcaÂtion sysÂtem.
ReÂbecca Gilgen, who is planÂning what she calls a microschool with a handÂful of othÂer parÂents of first-graders in Minneapolis, said most of the famiÂlies she's conÂnected with are in need of child care.
She wishÂes school disÂtricts could proÂvide more supÂport and adÂvice for the learnÂing pods that are formÂing and find ways to foÂcus on stuÂdents who might not have that exÂtra supÂport.
"I think the state needs to proÂvide more reÂsources so that disÂtricts can work in inÂnoÂvaÂtive ways to reÂspond to child care needs," she said.
JeanÂine Hill, a mothÂer of four in Circle Pines, is also orÂganÂizÂing a microschool that may inÂclude up to a half-dozÂen famiÂlies in the CenÂtenniÂal School District, which will start the year in a hyÂbrid modÂel combining disÂtance and in-perÂson learnÂing.
As an AfÂriÂcan American woman with a deÂgree in elÂeÂmenÂtaÂry edÂuÂcaÂtion, Hill said she imÂmediÂateÂly thought of disÂparÂiÂties when she heard about the moveÂment toÂward learnÂing pods with hired teachÂers.
She reached out to othÂer moms and ofÂfered to lead the group.
"Microschooling does not have to be someÂthing that is about monÂey," she said.
"If moms get toÂgether, we can still exÂperiÂence someÂthing an afÂfluÂent famÂiÂly can, while exÂperiÂencÂing it with a sense of comÂmuniÂty and supÂport."
Emily Benson, a mothÂer of two boys, creÂatÂed a FaceÂbook group to help find a pod for her two sons, ages 3 ½ and 6. WithÂin 24 hours, the group had 66 memÂbers.
Benson would like to conÂnect with parÂents who have takÂen exÂtra preÂcauÂtions against COVID exÂpoÂsure, as her own famÂiÂly has. She's met up with a couÂple famiÂlies to find the right fit.
"It honÂestÂly feels like onÂline datÂing, just tryÂing to find the right match for play dates," she said.
"It's such a weird time to be a parÂent."