May-June-2020-Advisor

REOPENING

MAY-JUNE 2020 CEA ADVISOR 5

CEA FORUM ON SCHOOL REOPENING PLAN TO BE SHAPED BY HEALTH, EDUCATION PRIORITIES Nearly 800 teachers joined a

virtual forum on June 8 to hear Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona’s plans for reopening schools and pose questions about what the new school year might look like. “It’s not simple, and I would rather be careful and thoughtful about it than come out with something that has to change,” said Cardona. “We know that COVID numbers and testing conditions could impact how we reopen, but I am hoping that in the next couple of weeks we could have something that could help districts start planning.” That reopening plan could come in early July, and Cardona said that input from CEA leaders and members has been influential in the agency’s planning and discussions. Safety first “This is uncharted territory—it’s a health pandemic,” he said, pointing out that there is no precedent to turn to, only guidance from educators, epidemiologists, and other experts. “First and foremost, health and safety is what will drive our decisions, and we are working closely with the Department of Public Health so that education decisions aren’t made in a silo.” The commissioner was joined in the online forum by SDE Deputy Commissioners Charlene Russell- Tucker and Desi Nesmith, who also fielded teachers’ questions on a range of topics. “It’s important that folks understand we want situations that we feel comfortable sending our own children into,” said Nesmith. “We have children in the public education system, and we must be deliberate and take the time necessary to work on reopening plans.” Asked whether some protocols might be mandatory and non- negotiable, Cardona answered, “Yes. When it comes to health and safety, we need standards; otherwise, inequities are created.” Districts vary, however, from those with a graduating class of 27 to high schools with more than 3,000 students. “There likely won’t be a one-size-fits- all approach, but guidance will be given out to districts, and there needs to be a bottom line of non- negotiables.” Art, labs, specials, and more AWamogo teacher asked what would become of specials, where teachers must deal with greater numbers of materials. Similar questions from other teachers focused on science labs, which require close proximity, as well as classrooms of very young children who learn through play and tactile activities. Information from the CDC is changing, Cardona noted, and while his agency continues to rely on it to set benchmarks, different activities and environments pose unique students in a room, as well as instruments and other shared

Clockwise from top left: SDE Deputy Commissioner Desi Nesmith, CEA President Jeff Leake, Commissioner Miguel Cardona, Deputy Commissioner Charlene Russell- Tucker, and CEA Executive Director Donald Williams hold a virtual forum with 800 CEA members.

challenges. These include contact sports, classrooms without good ventilation, school choruses, gymnasiums, and early childhood settings. “We’re going to revisit how we do those things,” Cardona said, “so music could look different, and physical education could look different, but we’re going to work with teachers, because they’re the experts in their fields. We know how important music, PE, culinary classes, and the arts are, and we’re going to do our best to adapt. Once guidelines are set, teachers will help figure out how best to teach those subjects.” Face coverings, frequent hand washing, and other good hygiene practices in schools will be important, Cardona said, adding, “I respect how challenging it is to have young students wear masks, but I also know that teachers are innovative at helping students learn to do these things.” On pre-K and kindergarten, the commissioner stressed finding a balance between what is good educationally (which, at those ages, often involves song, movement, play, tactile learning, hands-on instruction, and social interaction) with what’s safe. “That’s a tough one,” he admitted. “Almost as tough as transportation. Doing things differently is temporary, however, and if we don’t adjust, there is a greater likelihood we won’t be able to get back.” Teachers’ roles and rights Teachers wanted to know what they should be doing to get ready to return to school. “Communicate what you know about equity and education at the district level,” Cardona advised. “Who better than teachers, who know what their school situation is?” If in-person or hybrid learning is part of the landscape and teachers with underlying medical conditions or other special circumstances

cannot safely return to their school buildings, Cardona believes there is a place for them in their students’ education. “Districts should look at staff with comorbidities to ensure that they can contribute without putting their health at risk. We can and should meaningfully engage their expertise. Epidemiologists say there is likely to be a second wave of COVID-19, so we may need to look at blended learning models for many other reasons.” Equity, funding gaps A Bridgeport teacher asked what is being done to correct inequities regarding technology and Internet access, especially for communities such as his. “This is so heavy on our minds,” Cardona acknowledged. “Teachers have worked hard to close the equity gaps that exist in ways that are different from what you’ve ever done before.” Russell-Tucker observed that with eviction protection coming to an end, and families stressed by unemployment and food insecurity, many more students will be negatively impacted—including those in rural communities where social services are less readily available. She shared that various groups and state agencies are working on recovery plans and that the SDE is collaborating with the Department of Social Services and others to fill in the gaps. The SDE also recently conducted a statewide survey to get a handle on connectivity and device needs while also looking at the federal CARES Act and other funding sources to provide access where it is needed, said Nesmith. A connectivity workgroup has been established with the governor’s office, he added, and the agency is creating a learning hub for parents, students, and teachers with quality lesson plans aimed at leveling the playing field. In this time of remote learning, he said, “Some districts are material-rich, while teachers in low-resource districts are putting together plans and creating materials on their own time, with their own money. The learning hub would help by providing everyone with access to materials that meet a quality threshold.” Russell-Tucker also stressed

leveraging resources for social- emotional learning and trauma- informed instruction so that teachers, students, and parents alike can have the support they need. On the topic of school funding, Cardona emphasized, “We need more, not less. We as a nation stood up for companies that needed a bailout; right now, our kids need us.” The governor and fiscal offices, he said, are aware of the state’s education funding needs and are looking at prioritizing CARES Act funding and using ECS calculations to address inequities. “We know our U.S. senators are working on additional funding as well, because CARES funding won’t be enough. We need to invest in students so that the education they get puts them in a place that was better than before. Education is the best economic driver for our state, and we should accept nothing less for our kids.” Russell-Tucker also proposed deploying existing funds differently— such as lifting the technology spending cap on Title IV funds—and CEA Executive Director Donald Williams recommended looking at the state’s rainy day fund as a potential source of education funding. Regarding English learners, who have fared disproportionately worse under distance learning models, Cardona said, “We need to turn that on its head. We’ve hired a director of equity and language, and we need to look at practices and research into second language acquisition. We’re not going to take our foot off the gas.” He remarked that every teacher is, in a sense, an EL teacher and that teacher preparation programs need to look at how to equip preservice teachers for that role. He also recommended engaging preservice teachers to help where class sizes must be smaller and tutoring and mentoring support will be critical to help meet students’ needs. The point Cardona and his team stressed most throughout the forum was the value that teachers continue to bring to their students, to the learning transition, and to school reopening plans—saying that it’s a collaborative process made better by teachers’ passion, expertise, and willingness to be part of the conversation that shapes the future.

“We as a nation stood up for companies that needed a bailout; right now, our kids need us.” Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona