Commissioner's Weekly Update 6 29 20 - Board to Meet, Initial School Reopening Guidance, Early Childhood Leadership Institute

A message from the
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education

June 29, 2020

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News from Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

1. Board to Meet:

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will meet remotely at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30. The meeting will be streamed online at https://livestream.com/accounts/22459134. The agenda includes:

an update on COVID-19 action steps to support schools, students, and families (download),
a discussion of the initial fall school reopening guidance (download) issued on June 25;
a vote to adopt emergency regulations related to student learning time;
discussion of a new early literacy initiative (download);
presentation of the State Student Advisory Council End-of-Year Report;
an update on the FY2021 state education budget;
a vote to give City on a Hill Public Charter School and Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School an additional year to meet the academic conditions (download) of their probation, and
a vote on the commissioner’s annual performance evaluation.

2. Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance:

On Thursday, June 25, Dr. Lloyd Fisher, incoming president of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, spoke at the press conference at which DESE released the initial fall school reopening guidance.

On Thursday, June 25, DESE released initial fall school reopening guidance (download) following weeks of collaboration with stakeholders and the medical community. The guidance calls for schools to reopen this fall while meeting safety requirements, including the use of masks for all but the youngest students and 3 to 6 feet of social distancing. The guidance calls for districts to prioritize planning for return to in-person learning, while also planning for hybrid learning (in case full in-person learning is not possible), and for remote learning (in case of an outbreak).

The Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP) has endorsed the guidance, and Dr. Lloyd Fisher, incoming president of the MCAAP, joined Dr. Sandra Nelson, an infectious diseases physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, at the press conference where Governor Baker, Lt. Gov. Polito, Secretary Peyser, and Commissioner Riley announced the guidance.

In addition, the Baker-Polito Administration announced approximately $200 million from the Commonwealth’s federal Coronavirus Relief Fund for costs related to reopening public schools. This funding is intended to supplement other sources, such as the $502 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund that Governor Baker previously allocated to cities and towns and $194 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund grants.

In partnership with legislative leadership, the Administration also committed $25 million in federal funds for a matching grant program to help school districts and charter schools close technology gaps.

3. Early Childhood Coordinators Leadership Institute and Community of Practice:

AnLar, through a contract with DESE’s Office of Special Education Planning and Policy Development, is offering a yearlong, no cost, Early Childhood Coordinators Administrative Leadership Institute for individuals currently working as early childhood coordinators in a Massachusetts public school. This institute is designed to equip early childhood special educators with tools to improve student outcomes and foster family and community engagement while complying with regulations and aligning to best practices in the field. This year will also focus on the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interested individuals should complete an application by Wednesday, July 1. Participants will be notified of their acceptance by July 8 and thereafter on a space-available basis.

4. Teacher & Principal Advisory Cabinet Application Deadline Extended:

The Department is now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 Teacher & Principal Advisory Cabinet until midnight on Monday, July 6. Please contact educatordevelopment@doe.mass.edu with any questions.

5. Extended Waivers for School Meal Programs:

On Thursday, June 25, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the extension of several nationwide COVID-19 flexibilities through the entire 2020-2021 school year. The extension of COVID-19 regulatory waivers will allow school meal programs to serve meals to students in the classroom, continue grab and go meal pick-up for remote learners, and adjust meal service in the event of sudden COVID-19 school closures. Additionally, USDA announced a new waiver to address “offer versus serve” requirements at the high school level to facilitate social distancing.

Importantly, these waivers give DESE and school districts time to plan for meal service in the fall. The Department will be seeking additional regulatory waiver requests, including the continued suspension of area eligibility requirements, allowing all school districts to serve meals and receive reimbursement in the event of future school closures. The current area eligibility waiver expires on Monday, August 31, 2020. More detailed information about the reopening guidance and the waiver extensions will be forthcoming.

6. Immunization Requirements:

The state Department of Public Health will maintain immunization requirements for school entry as they are currently posted for the 2020-2021 school year. Vaccinating against preventable diseases is important to reduce the overall burden of disease in school communities. The Assessment Unit of the Immunization Division encourages school communities to work with families and healthcare providers during the initial months of the school year to satisfy the requirements for students who are not compliant on the first day of school.

Copyright © 2020 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, All rights reserved.

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