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July 23, 2020

NYSSCA UPDATE

Register Early! – Innovation through Collaboration! NYSSCA 2020 Conference NYSSCA Registration and other details available now!! READ MORE

State Education Department Issues Guidance to Reopen New York State Schools NYSED The New York State Education Department today released guidance to help schools and school districts as they plan to reopen, whether that occurs in person, remotely, or in a combination of the two. The guidance builds on the Framework of Guidance that the Department presented to the Board of Regents on Monday, July 13. "On Monday, the Department presented a comprehensive framework of guidance for safely educating students this Fall,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “The guidance disseminated to schools today accounts for the health and safety of our children, teachers and school personnel while encouraging equitable access to the services and resources necessary for a high-quality education." "Working with students, parents, educators and stakeholders, the Board of Regents and the Department have developed a guidance document that will help schools as they prepare their respective reopening plans, “ said Interim Commissioner Shannon Tahoe. “The guidance encourages community involvement and allows for flexibility so that districts and schools in every corner of the state can assess their unique situation and develop a plan that best meets the needs of their students." READ MORE

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Interim Guidance for In-Person Instruction NYS Dept of Health Please see the Interim Guidance for In-Person Instruction at Pre-K to Grade 12 Schools During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency released by Governor Cuomo earlier this week. READ MORE

News from Access Newsletter Starbridge America's mask debate shifts to schools Chalkbeat Netflix to debut autism dating show Disability Scoop Child care and day camp reopening guidelines NYS Office of Children and Family Services Career pathways for young people with disabilities CDO Workforce

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

How to provide mental health care before students start school District Administration Magazine An unmet need for mental health care motivated Jurupa USD leaders to develop behavioral supports that begin with prenatal care and continue through graduation. Getting a healthy start in school can improve the entire trajectory of a child's education, says Elliot Duchon, superintendent of Jurupa USD, which is the latest honoree in District Administration's Districts of Distinction recognition program. READ MORE

Will schools mandate COVID-19 vaccine or face liability? Education DIVE As coronavirus vaccine candidates enter trials, with some of the earliest predictions landing availability sometime early next year, leaders are raising alarms around the possibility of parents and children who may seek exemptions from the requirement. READ MORE

New report says schools should try to reopen in person for elementary students NPR This fall, public school districts should prioritize full-time, in-person classes for grades K-5 and for students with special needs. That's the top-line recommendation of a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The report includes an updated review of the evidence from around the world and a set of recommendations on mitigation strategies for the coronavirus in school settings. It adds to a hefty reading list of back-to-school guidance that now includes comprehensive recommendations from the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Federation of Teachers and every U.S. state except Kansas. READ MORE

5 ways to build a strong academic scaffold for 2020-2021 eSchool News Not sure what to expect in this coming school year? Will your school district begin the year with in-person classroom instruction? Or will your district start the year with remote learning? Or will instruction be a combination of both? If you are grappling with these questions, you are not alone. In the western North Carolina school district where we teach, we are preparing for several possible teaching scenarios. But regardless of how your district will provide instruction this fall, teachers need a strong academic scaffold to build upon. READ MORE

Standardized testing and COVID-19: 4 questions answered Education Week Big state and national tests always require finely tuned coordination among researchers and schools. During the pandemic, large-scale assessments could become a complicated mess — if they can be pulled off at all. Large-scale tests — from the Nation's Report Card to state accountability exams — face an uphill climb next year, experts say, amid concerns that administering them could expose staff and students to a higher risk of coronavirus and prove difficult to do consistently among the shifting school set-ups expected next year. READ MORE

Here's why cybersecurity experts are concerned about remote learning eSchool News The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned schools about an increase in ransomware attacks during the pandemic, with attackers exploiting Remote Desktop Protocol connections that allow school employees to log in to district servers remotely. While the FBI's alert is worrisome in its own right, it's not the issue that keeps K-12 cybersecurity expert Doug Levin up at night. READ MORE

Cost of ensuring school safety complicates reopening plans The Associated Press As school districts across the country decide how and when they can bring students back to campus safely, a major sticking point is emerging: the money to make it happen. Keeping public schools for 50 million students and more than 7 million staff safe from the coronavirus could require more teachers and substitutes, nurses and custodians. School districts will need to find more buses to allow for more space between children and buy more computers for distance learning. They'll need to buy sanitizer, masks and other protective equipment. Some are putting up plastic dividers in offices and classrooms. READ MORE

Cameras in the classroom: What to do instead Tech & Learning Some school districts have the short-sighted idea to put cameras in the classroom this fall so that students learning remotely have access to the classroom. Not only is this a bad idea, it is a colossal waste of money. Here's why: laptops already have cameras! No need to invest in costly equipment: Laptops already have cameras, and every school should have at least made a basic investment in teacher laptops. READ MORE

Will coronavirus prevention have positive long-term impact on classroom design? Education DIVE When schools reopen, students will be greeted by plexiglass barriers, partitions and new classroom configurations designed to keep them as far apart as possible. Masks will likely be mandatory, class cohorts will be small, and movement will be inhibited. Students will be sectioned off throughout the school, from offices to auditoriums to stages and gyms. Hallways will be one-directional, if possible, and passing times will be staggered to reduce traffic. READ MORE

Roadmaps to reopening — States' guidance to schools on meals, masks handwashing and more The 74 As political leaders debate the merits of reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic, state education and health agencies are thinking through what that would actually look like on campuses this fall. FutureEd, a think tank at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy, has reviewed guidance released by states to determine what they're advising on six important issues: meals, school schedules and classroom setups, face coverings, school buses, temperature checks and symptoms, and handwashing. READ MORE

Loneliness hasn't increased despite pandemic, research finds. What helped? MindShift When the coronavirus barreled into the U.S. this year, the predominant public health advice for avoiding infection focused on physical isolation: No parties, concerts or sports events. No congregating inside bars or restaurants. No on-site family reunions. No play dates for kids. Just keep away from other people. Meanwhile, although social scientists supported that medical advice, they feared the required physical distancing would spark another epidemic — one of loneliness, which was already at a high level in the U.S. READ MORE

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