Educating Through A Pandemic: From Conflicting Local And State Plans In Connecticut To Homeschooling In Nebraska And Color-Coded Campus Days In SC, 8 Ways Schools & States Are Adapting To COVID-19

Educating Through a Pandemic: From Conflicting Local and State Plans in Connecticut to Homeschooling in Nebraska and Color-Coded Campus Days in SC, 8 Ways Schools & States Are Adapting to COVID-19

This update provides valuable information on the current situation regarding the COVID slide, focusing on news updates at the district, state, and national levels. It acknowledges the efforts of all stakeholders involved in developing safe and innovative plans to resume schooling and address learning loss. This update is an extension of the Collaborative for Student Success’s COVID Slide Quick Sheet newsletter, which you can subscribe to for more information.

While the Trump administration pushes for districts to reopen for in-person instruction, district officials across the country are grappling with the challenges of figuring out how to safely operate schools during a public health emergency. Education reporters, advocates, and community members are asking tough questions that schools must answer before welcoming students back into classrooms. This highlights the importance of schools responding to local realities and ensuring equity even amidst widespread reopening.

To assist districts in this endeavor, national, state, and local organizations are stepping up to provide support. These organizations aim to share promising solutions and elevate common needs that are not being met.

The Center on Reinventing Public Education and the Collaborative for Student Success have collaborated to offer a planning tool for districts. Additionally, a panel of experts in various fields related to education will use this tool to evaluate publicly available district plans. Their goal is to identify best practices, innovative approaches, and reproducible efforts that can benefit other districts.

Here are eight updates from different parts of the country on how school systems are working to ensure student learning during the coronavirus pandemic:

1. SOUTH CAROLINA – The Greenville County School District has proposed four different school schedule options for the fall. These options range from complete remote learning to full in-person instruction. The district is also considering a color-coded system to inform families about the days students can attend school campuses based on the spread rate in Greenville.

2. CONNECTICUT – New Haven Public Schools have released their "Road Map to Reopening" which covers important areas such as health and safety, operations, curriculum, technology, and meeting the needs of special populations. However, Governor Ned Lamont’s plan for reopening conflicts with New Haven’s plan for virtual instruction.

3. INDIANA – The Indiana State Board of Education has approved the optional use of the Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD-3) for fourth-grade students in the upcoming fall term. The goal of this assessment is to provide data-driven decisions for improving student literacy. The board has also approved the administration of the "ISTEP+ 10" to juniors during the spring assessment window.

4. NEBRASKA – More parents are considering homeschooling as an alternative to traditional schooling.

Please note that the information provided above reflects the updates and developments in different school systems across the country regarding the current challenges faced amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

5 NEW YORK — Input from 1,200 individuals invested in public education to be taken into account:

The New York Board of Regents convened to review feedback from 1,200 parents, teachers, and health officials regarding a statewide instructional plan. Earlier this month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued guidelines for the reopening of schools and mandated that all districts submit their plans to the state’s Department of Education by July 31, 2020. The final decisions will be made in early August.

Voices of 1,200 individuals invested in public education to be taken into account [link to article]

6 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — Chancellor Ferebee assures strong reopening of DCPS:

D.C. Chancellor Lewis Ferebee reflects on the successful transition to remote learning that took place in DCPS during the spring amidst the coronavirus pandemic. As the district begins to plan for the upcoming school year, feedback from parents, teachers, and D.C. health officials is being used to develop the plan. The plan includes an in-person Summer Bridge program for grades 3, 6, and 9 as well as guidance on school enrollment.

7 VIRGINIA — Richmond Education Association calls for a ‘virtual return’ for the new school year:

The Richmond Education Association (REA) has sent a letter to Richmond Public Schools advocating for virtual instruction instead of physically returning to the classroom in the fall. With the increasing number of coronavirus cases, the REA is concerned about the safety of students and refers to research on the risks of gathering indoors in large groups, including schools.

Richmond Education Association calls for a ‘virtual return’ for RPS’ new school year [link to article]

8 ARKANSAS — Jacksonville/North Pulaski School District grants parents options and mandates masks:

The Jacksonville/North Pulaski School District in Arkansas has unveiled its plan for reopening schools, which primarily focuses on allowing families to choose between in-person or remote education for their children. However, all students in grades 3 through 12 who return to school buildings will be required to wear masks, and schools will be responsible for monitoring the temperatures of students and staff.