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A message from the
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education

September 8, 2020
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News from Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Contents:

  1. Additional Information for School Health Offices
  2. Back-to-School Resources
  3. Enrolling New Students, Consistent with COVID-19 Travel Order and McKinney-Vento Act 
  4. Additional Flexibility for Educator Licensure and Staffing for the 2020-21 School Year
  5. Updated List of Holidays
  6. FAQs on Remote Learning Enrichment Centers Established by School Districts
  7. Student Members Needed for State and Regional Student Advisory Councils
  8. DESE Resource Corner: New Family Portal on DESE Website
  9. Vocational Technical Advisory Council
  10. Literacy Development Grant
  11. For Your Information:
    • Census reminder
    • Diversifying the Educator Workforce

1. Additional Information for School Health Offices:


The Department of Public Health issued Additional Information for School Health Offices on Thursday, September 3. The guidance addresses many issues of importance to school nurses, including:
  • Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for different staff and different healthcare scenarios;
  • Guidance on medical waiting rooms;
  • Key health office protocols needed during COVID-19;
  • Procedures for working with specific populations, including students with special health care needs and students who require aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs); and
  • Working with and communicating with local boards of health.

2. Back-to-School Resources:

Girl with mask
In order to help districts return to school, DESE has compiled several resources for district leaders, including a back-to-school message from Commissioner Riley. The message includes links to our COVID-19 pages, a back-to-school video that educators can share with the community about ways to stay safe in school; and a link to our new remote learning page. Many thanks to the Medford students and staff, including the student pictured above, who helped us with the video!
 
In addition to the material for district leaders, DESE has posted back-to-school resources for parents at http://www.doe.mass.edu/backtoschool/, including a link to the same video as above, an FAQ tailored to parents, and more. In addition, a second video about reopening schools is posted on our homepage, and Spanish subtitles are available in closed captioning. Governor Baker announced the public service campaign on Thursday, September 3, and the television and radio ads will begin running this week.

3. Enrolling New Students, Consistent with COVID-19 Travel Order and McKinney-Vento Act: 


The Department has received questions about how districts should enroll students who have moved to Massachusetts from other states and who may be considered homeless. The questions stem from the responsibilities that districts have under state law as well as the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act. Specifically:
  • The Massachusetts COVID-19 Travel Order dated August 1, 2020 requires people who arrive in Massachusetts from non-low-risk states to either quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result.
  • The McKinney-Vento Act, 42 USC §11432(g)(3), requires school districts to “immediately enroll” homeless students in school, to provide educational stability and avoid separation from school for an extended period while required documents (e.g., health records, education records) are located.
School districts can reconcile the two by enrolling the student (online or otherwise) immediately and providing immediate access to the district’s remote learning program during the 14 days of quarantine or until the student has a negative COVID-19 test.  This is consistent with longstanding DESE policy that allows a district to delay a student’s immediate in-person attendance (which McKinney-Vento would otherwise require), if necessary, to protect against the transmission of a communicable disease.
 
Each district should have a policy that applies to all students moving into the community who wish to enroll in the district. The district’s enrollment policy and process should be consistent with applicable laws and health and safety protocols and should be applied uniformly, including to students who are experiencing homelessness or who are in foster care. The Department has posted information here about ensuring educational stability for students experiencing homelessness, in foster care, and in migrant or in military families. For further information, please contact compliance@doe.mass.edu.

4. Additional Flexibility for Educator Licensure and Staffing for the 2020-21 School Year:


In order to support educators and school districts as they work to staff learning environments for the 2020-21 academic year, DESE has made the following policy updates:
  1. Increase in the time allowed to be teaching “out of field.” Under an emergency regulation, licensed educators can teach up to 50 percent of their time outside of their license area (up from 20 percent), except in a role requiring a Special Education, School Nurse, or English as a Second Language license.
  2. Increase in the length of time an individual can be considered a long-term substitute. Under an emergency regulation, individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree can work in a teaching assignment as a long-term substitute for up to the full school year (increased from 90 days), except in a role requiring a Special Education or English as a Second Language license.
  3. Consider individuals assigned as co-teacher to a class/course as “in-field” as long as the other co-teacher is appropriately licensed. The expectation in this situation is that the appropriately licensed educator is actively engaged in planning, implementation, and assessment. 
  4. Additional flexibility with hardship waivers. If a district determines that experience with the district's remote learning implementation in 2019-20 is a necessary qualification for a specific position during the 2020-21 school year, DESE will consider waiver applications with only an internal posting rather than an external posting. The district must submit the typical evidence for a waiver along with a statement regarding how the individual’s experience with remote learning in 2019-20 will be vital in 2020-21. The district must also indicate what the individual’s role was in 2019-20. 
Please note that the above emergency regulations and policy changes for the 2020-21 school year are in addition to existing modifications, including: the Emergency Licenseextending expiring licenses until 90 days after the end of the state of emergency, and extending the time period that a retired educator may work before needing a critical shortage waiver. 
 
As a reminder, DESE  encourages districts to work with educator preparation partners to leverage student teachers and keep in mind the practicum flexibilities (download) that DESE has granted this year. 

In all cases, DESE continues to encourage district leaders to assess the assignment patterns that have contributed to persistent equity gaps for students of color, economically disadvantaged students, English learners, and students with disabilities. The updated Student Learning Experience report (SE622 and SE321 in Edwin) can help. Anyone who would like support using the report can email educatordevelopment@mass.gov

5. Updated List of Holidays:


The Department has posted an updated list of statewide legal holidays, including Juneteenth, for school years 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23. The memo also includes links to lists of major religious holidays.

6. FAQs on Remote Learning Enrichment Centers Established by School Districts:


The following FAQs are designed to help school districts support students and families during periods of remote learning. They should be read in conjunction with COVID-19 Executive Order No. 49 and the August 28, 2020 Joint Guidance from EEC and ESE: Care Options for Hybrid and Remote Learning Models.
 
For purposes of these FAQs, a remote learning enrichment center is defined as a centralized hub that is established and operated by a school district to provide supervision, support, and academically enriching opportunities for students who need them during periods of remote learning. As used here, remote learning enrichment centers do not include ordinary in-person instruction that is part of the district’s learning model. A remote learning enrichment center is an extended school service that provides non-instructional in-person supervision and enrichment for students while they are engaged in remote learning. School districts may establish one or more remote learning enrichment centers to provide students with non-instructional, in-person supervision and enrichment during remote learning days.
  1. Our school district is using a remote or hybrid learning model. Can our school(s) run a remote learning enrichment center to provide students with in-person supervision and enrichment during remote learning days?
Yes, a school committee may determine that a sufficient need exists for the services that would be provided. See M.G.L. c. 71, §§ 26A, 26B. Similar to before- and after-school programs run by public schools, remote learning enrichment centers operated by school districts are exempt from EEC licensure. The district must, however, register the program and submit certain information to DESE. Please see the registration form available here. Remote learning enrichment centers operated by public schools must follow the health and safety requirements listed in the Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance, as well as the Quality Standards for Public School Operated School-Age Child Care Programs (download). If a district is unable to follow any of the quality standards due to exigent circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, it should note that on the registration form.
 
Note: Additional information will be provided to those districts that plan to use federal funds through 21st Century Community Learning Centers or the state-funded grant for After-School and Out-of-School Time, or both, to support their remote learning enrichment center(s).
  1. May a school committee determine that no fee will be charged to families whose children participate in the district’s remote learning enrichment centers?
Yes, the school committee may determine that families do not have to pay anything toward the cost of the supervision and enrichment provided in the remote learning enrichment center(s) operated by the district. In instances where the school committee determines that a fee is necessary to cover program costs, DESE recommends that the school committee utilize a sliding fee scale based on family income, and any fees charged should reflect only the costs of the program. (Note: Districts cannot charge for any programs or services that are part of the school program or are mandated by state or federal law.)
  1. Are there staffing considerations that school districts should take into account when planning to operate remote learning enrichment centers?
Districts and schools should define carefully the roles and responsibilities of staff providing supervision and enrichment for students that attend remote learning enrichment centers. For example, teachers who are responsible for providing remote instruction should focus on that work and not be providing services or serving as staff at the remote learning enrichment center at the same time.
 
Districts and schools must conduct the appropriate background checks for staff and volunteers that will be supporting students at the remote learning enrichment centers.
  1. Can our school run a remote learning enrichment center collaboratively with community-based partner(s)? If so, does the community-based partner have to be licensed by EEC?
School districts may partner with one or more community-based organizations to provide non-instructional supervision and enrichment to students during periods of remote learning.
 
When public schools serve as the lead, maintaining ownership and oversight, and contract with community-based organizations to operate remote learning enrichment centers, no EEC license is required. Such programs must register with DESE, however, as noted in #1, above. Alternatively, if the community-based program serves as the lead, the program must be licensed by EEC or exempt from licensure. Please see the Joint Guidance for more information regarding EEC licensing and exemptions. If you have additional questions regarding EEC licensing, please contact office.commissioners@mass.gov.
  1. Can school districts and community-based organizations collaborate on professional development for their staff?
Both DESE and EEC encourage shared professional development among public schools, community-based organizations, and before- and after-school programs. Potential topics for shared professional development could include health and safety requirements and guidance; joint training with local boards of health; ways to support remote learning; creating developmentally appropriate learning environments that meet the health and safety requirements and guidelines; effective family engagement; addressing children’s social-emotional well-being; and trauma-informed practices.
  1. Who should I contact if I have other questions about remote learning enrichment centers?
For further information, please contact the Office of Student and Family Support at achievement@mass.gov or 781-338-3010.

7. Student Members Needed for State and Regional Student Advisory Councils:


The Department is seeking students to participate in its state and regional advisory councils. More than ever, DESE recognizes the important role and unique perspective of student advisors to inform and help us in our work to support schools and districts through these challenging times. High school principals can use our online system to submit names of interested students to represent their schools and regions. Virtual council meetings will be held for two hours each month starting in October. The advisory councils offer students a great opportunity to promote student voice, develop leadership skills, and work on projects that can support and benefit their schools and districts and DESE. More information about the student advisory council is available here.  Anyone with questions can email Donna Taylor at DonnaM.Taylor@mass.gov.

8. DESE Resource Corner:
 

New Family Portal on DESE Website: The Department is excited to announce the launch of its Family Portal. The portal was developed to provide information and resources for families and for those supporting family engagement. Subject areas include back-to-school resources, special education resources, and college and career readiness resources, among others.

9. Vocational Technical Advisory Council:


The Department is seeking members for the Vocational Technical Advisory Council. Appointments will be for a three-year term, and no member may serve more than two consecutive terms. Membership will include a diverse group of individuals reflecting state and federal statutory requirements of membership, including local education officials; representatives from higher education, business and industry, labor and trade organizations, and parent/family organizations; and students.
 
Anyone interested in joining the Vocational Technical Advisory Council is asked to please email a letter of interest and resume to Elizabeth L. Bennett (Elizabeth.L.Bennett@mass.gov) by Friday, September 18.

10. Literacy Development Grant:


The Department, with the Department of Early Education and Care as a partner, has been awarded a competitive Comprehensive State Literacy Development Grant for $19.89 million over five years from the U.S. Education Department. The bulk of the funds are designed to flow to districts to support their implementation of evidence-based early literacy programs. More information will be available as this work begins.

11. For your info:

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