Parents must have a say in districts’ distance learning plans under new California law
Districts must create new "learning continuity plan" in coming weeks
issatisfied with the uneven quality of distance learning among school districts after they closed in March, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature established minimum requirements for the next school year in legislation accompanying the 2020-21 budget.
For many districts, the school year will begin next month. With Covid-19 infection rates and deaths rising, some districts, including the state’s largest, announced this week they’ll open solely with remote learning or hybrid instruction, with some in-person and some remote teaching.
The minimum requirements include ensuring every student is equipped with a computer and internet access, taking daily attendance and interacting with students in some form every day. Proponents of the standards say they’re pleased the Legislature acted but haven’t given up lobbying for additional requirements, particularly more extensive online teaching.
“Live instruction is an important equity issue. We want to know how districts plan to monitor it, so that it’s not simply a daily roll call with links to Khan Academy,” said Samantha Tran, senior managing director of education policy at Children Now, a nonprofit advocacy organization.
To make sure that districts follow through with the requirements, legislators are CONTINUE READING: Parents must have a say in districts’ distance learning plans under new California law | EdSource
