LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Six more weeks of Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) is likely in store for students in Jefferson County, but District staff tells Spectrum News 1 the online learning will be different this fall than it was last spring.

The state's largest school district is planning a "more structured" NTI that will resemble in-person learning, according to Chief Communications Officer Renee Murphy.

"We're looking to have this look more like a traditional school day, so that would be more live instruction from teachers through video conferencing," Murphy said, "and you can also expect to have more communication between schools and teachers and our families throughout this process, too. We're looking to have more structure so you can see this having more of a feel of what it would be like if we had classes in person."

Murphy said grading will also be more traditional than it was when students first went through NTI at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. 

That calls for more technology to be issued to families. Those in need of laptops and internet access were able to keep the district-issued Chromebooks and mobile Wi-fi devices through the summer, but Murphy says more people will be able to get the gear for next semester. If a family has multiple students, then the family can be issued one per student. 

"[if] there's three kids in the house and there's only one device, we know that's not going to work. So, we're looking to make sure that every student has a device," she said.

Although Murphy calls this method of learning less than ideal, she claims it's the safest way during the pandemic, as Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said in his announcement to request the six weeks of NTI Thursday night. The Board of Education will vote on this recommendation next week. Murphy adds that parents can expect an informational orientation before school starts.