California School Districts Learn More About What State Expects During a Long Shutdown
Gov. Gavin Newsom advised school districts on Tuesday that they should expect to be closed the rest of the school year. On Wednesday, a 75-minute webinar led by the California Department of Education, viewed by about 7,000 people, provided guidance on how to provide distance learning, meals for students and limited child care while schools are shut down because of the coronavirus.
In remarks on Tuesday and in a lengthy guidance document issued Tuesday night, state education officials said they understand the challenges that districts will face and will work with them.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond reiterated that school districts will receive funding and won’t have to worry about state testing, including the Smarter Balanced assessments in math and English language arts: State tests will be suspended, pending a federal waiver, he said.
“The governor’s order gives flexibility to school districts to provide different ways to deliver education,” Thurmond said. “It says that no school district needs to worry about funding; every school district will receive the funding that it needs as it finds alternative and creative ways to ensure that California students receive education.”
Thurmond said the guidance document will be updated at least weekly as events change and will incorporate ideas and suggestions. The department received dozens of questions during the webinar but didn’t have time to answer them. Thurmond said the updated guidance would incorporate answers.
The document is divided into chapters on distance learning, school meals and child care, with sections broadly addressing how to serve special education students and English learners. Excerpted from “California School Districts Learn More About What State Expects During a Long Shutdown” in EdSource. Read the full article for summaries of the elements with comments from the webinar.
Source: EdSource| California School Districts Learn More About What State Expects During a Long Shutdown, https://edsource.org/2020/california-school-districts-learn-more-about-what-state-expects-during-a-long-shutdown/626431 | copyright 2020 EdSource
