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A message from the
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education

March 30, 2020
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News from Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Contents:

  1. Board to Meet
  2. Picture of the Week: Map Academy
  3. USDA Reimbursements for All Districts
  4. Remote Learning Recommendations
  5. Serving Students with Disabilities During the COVID-19 School Closure
  6. Webinar on Supporting Students’ SEL and Mental Health Needs During COVID-19
  7. Payments for Contracted Services
  8. Grants Available for School Meals During COVID-19
  9. MCAS
  10. Portal for PPE Donations and Medical Volunteers
  11. Deadlines Postponed for Creation of New Virtual Schools
  12. Family Engagement Needs Assessment

1. Board to Meet:


The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will hold their monthly meeting at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 31. The meeting will be held remotely, per Governor Baker’s March 12 order suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law. Members of the public can watch the meeting streamed online at the same address as usual: https://livestream.com/accounts/22459134. The agenda focuses on efforts to support schools during the COVID-19 crisis.

Picture of the Week:

Map Academy, a charter public high school in Plymouth, has student meals available for pickup, and a small group of core staff members have become delivery drivers for food and other essentials. The school is designed to serve students for whom traditional school has not worked, including students who have dropped out. During the school closure, Map has created a Virtual Student Center with a variety of services, social workers have replaced their in-person counseling with phone check-ins, and teachers shifted instruction to Zoom and Google Meets. Students now access their academic material, check in with their teachers, and receive feedback on their work remotely. (Photo courtesy of Map Academy)

3. USDA Reimbursements for All Districts:
 

The Department learned on Sunday, March 29 that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved DESE’s request to waive the requirement that school meal sites must be located in areas where at least 50 percent of school lunch program participants are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Therefore, all school districts that are distributing meals during school closures related to COVID-19 and are focusing the distribution of these meals to children and teens in need of them are now eligible for USDA reimbursement. Further details will be released later this week.

4. Remote Learning Recommendations:


On Wednesday, March 25, Governor Baker announced that schools would remain closed until at least Monday, May 4, and the following day, DESE released remote learning recommendations (download) with the support of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association, the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, the Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association, and the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association.
 
The recommendations’ guiding principles include:
  • The safety and well-being of students and staff is the top priority.
  • The COVID-19 crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable students.
  • The need to maintain connections between students and staff is paramount.
  • Remote learning is not synonymous with online learning.
The recommendations themselves include that students should engage in meaningful learning for approximately half the length of a regular school day, and learning should be a combination of educator-directed and student-directed learning. If districts have not already implemented remote learning, DESE recommends that they plan now in order to launch in early April.
 
The Department will continue to issue guidance to help districts implement remote learning. Please also keep in mind that DESE has compiled a list of educational resources for students, families, and educators.

5. Serving Students with Disabilities During the COVID-19 School Closure:


On Thursday, March 26, DESE issued a new FAQ on serving students with disabilities during the COVID-19 school closure. The document reflects updated guidance from the U.S. Department of Education released on Sunday, March 21. The updated federal guidance states that during this national emergency, “school districts must provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) consistent with the need to protect the health and safety of students with disabilities and those individuals providing education, specialized instruction, and related services to these students.” In Massachusetts, DESE recognizes that these unprecedented circumstances may affect how all educational and related services and supports are provided. While USED and DESE will offer flexibility where possible, USED has emphasized that many disability-related modifications and services may be effectively provided remotely or online.

The provision of FAPE may include, as appropriate, special education and related services provided remotely through resources and supports (such as strategies, projects, and packets provided to students matched with regular and ongoing communication from special education team members) and services and instruction (such as virtual, online, or telephonic instruction). Districts should make every effort to use creative strategies to provide special education instruction and services to the extent feasible. Moreover, any educational opportunities offered to the general student population, including enrichment activities and resources, must be made accessible to students with disabilities.

6. Webinar on Supporting Students’ SEL and Mental Health Needs During COVID-19:


The Department is working with partners to offer an optional 90-minute webinar at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 31 about how districts can address the mental health needs of students and support their social and emotional learning (SEL) growth during these uncertain times. Topics will include the impact of school closures on students’ mental health, strategies for supporting students virtually, and online resources to help students develop SEL competencies while school is out. The first half of the webinar will include brief presentations from SEL and mental health experts, a review of available resources, and opportunities for participants to ask questions. The second half will be a facilitated conversation where participants can express challenges and share additional resources, ideas, and supports. Registration is open online.

7. Payments for Contracted Services:


On Monday, March 27, Commissioner Riley sent districts a memo recommending that they continue making payments to entities such as collaboratives, approved special education schools, special education service providers, and transportation companies during the COVID-19 school closure.

8. Grants Available for School Meals During COVID-19:


Moving meal service out of cafeterias to unconventional spaces like parking lots and bus stops can pose some challenges to transporting and serving meals safely. The Child Nutrition Outreach Program has collected a list of funding opportunities available to schools that are serving meals during the COVID-19 school closure. Check the Child Nutrition Outreach Programs’ grants webpage for future grant opportunities.

9. MCAS:


The Department has sought flexibility around this spring’s MCAS. The U.S. Department of Education has given initial approval to DESE’s application for an assessment waiver, and the Baker-Polito Administration has filed legislation that would allow Commissioner Riley to modify or waive this year’s MCAS testing requirement. The proposed legislation would also permit the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, upon the commissioner’s recommendation, to modify or waive the required competency determination for high school graduation. These actions will give the commissioner the flexibility to take appropriate action as more information becomes available.

10. Portal for PPE Donations and Medical Volunteers:


The Baker-Polito Administration has announced an online portal where individuals and companies can easily donate or sell personal protective equipment (PPE), and a second site where medical and health professionals can volunteer to support the COVID-19 outbreak in Massachusetts.

11. Deadlines Postponed for Creation of New Virtual Schools:


As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, DESE is pushing back the timeline for applications to open new Commonwealth of Massachusetts Virtual Schools by approximately two months. This delay is not because DESE expects new schools but because the pandemic will likely delay applicant groups’ ability to file an application. Under the new schedule, applicant groups must file a letter of intent by July 1 and a prospectus by July 29. Anyone with questions about the application process can email Ruth Hersh.

12. Family Engagement Needs Assessment:

Massachusetts is the recipient of a Statewide Family Engagement Center grant from the U.S. Department of Education. As a recipient of that grant and in order to learn more about the relationships that schools and families have with one another, DESE must annually conduct an assessment of families’ and educators’ needs related to family engagement. We encourage districts to share the educator survey with staff and the family survey with families of students enrolled in the district. The surveys are available in multiple languages; for translated versions of the survey, please email achievement@doe.mass.edu. The survey links will be live through the spring.

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