Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools and Planning for Reopening for Fall 2021

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools and Planning for Reopening for Fall 2021

Seattle Schools and Planning for Reopening for Fall 2021

The Board had a “special meeting” yesterday afternoon to vote on a reopening plan. The Board rarely has this types of meetings because when all seven of them are together AND voting outside of a regularly scheduled Board meeting, it’s a big deal. (Director Harris was calling in from a beach and Conzie Pedroza, head of, said she, too, was on vacation.)

Why this reopening plan now? In a word, OSPI. The State Superintendent’s office required all districts to submit a reopening plan - per OSPI template - by June 1st. 

Here’s an overview with the link to the plan from the district’s webpage about this action.

The biggest takeaway that district staff told the Board was that this plan is NOT the entire plan and staff are still working on that. Rob Gannon, Deputy Superintendent, said this is a plan but it is “not comprehensive.” He said there is more engagement to come and this is “just a moment in time.”

The district promised a FAQ on June 7th.

The SPS Academic and Student Well-being Recovery Plan addresses six themes, required by OSPI: CONTINUE READING: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools and Planning for Reopening for Fall 2021

NYC Educator: What Do Large Schools Need to Reopen?

NYC Educator: What Do Large Schools Need to Reopen?

What Do Large Schools Need to Reopen?

UFT President Michael Mulgrew has a column in the NY Daily News laying out a program for reopening. Mulgrew correctly points to the safeguards we insisted on as a reason schools were relatively safe this year. He asks that schools reach out to parents and enact a remote option for those who still aren't comfortable. These are all good ideas, and I think they apply to most city schools.

My school, however, is a little different. We routinely operate at somewhere around 240% capacity and the city doesn't give a hoot how uncomfortable or unhealthy that is. One of the first things I did as chapter leader was to get our school in the media, and we've been covered in not only all three major newspapers, but also on TV. We even had Bloomberg and Klein make cheery, misleading statements about us, because what were they gonna do? Fix the problem?

Surprisingly, though, their DOE did take a shot at it. UFT arranged a meeting at Tweed in which our then principal gave up a group of selected students, and for that they agreed to give us smaller incoming cohorts. They also agreed to more carefully screen incoming students, so that they couldn't simply say they lived where they did not. I personally had students who officially lived in Fresh Meadows who could never make it in on time, because their actual journey from the Bronx took them so long. 

Uncharacteristically, the Bloomberg people kept their word. Somehow when de Blasio came in, every aspect of our deal was left swirling the bowl. The selected students came back, and so did the veritable swarms of incoming CONTINUE READING: NYC Educator: What Do Large Schools Need to Reopen?

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Broadview-Thomson K-8 School Encampment: Hubris and Inaction May Mean Trouble

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Broadview-Thomson K-8 School Encampment: Hubris and Inaction May Mean Trouble

Broadview-Thomson K-8 School Encampment: Hubris and Inaction May Mean Trouble

Editor’s note: I apologize for the wonkiness of the look of this story. In the time I stepped away from blogging, I think Blogger changed some formatting and I’m struggling to understand it. 

As most of you know, the district reopened schools and three schools had homeless encampments on or nearby their campuses. 

The district had this to say on the subject back in April 2021 (partial):

Most importantly, we are working with school principals, the schools' Parent Teacher Associations, outreach organizations, and the city to address this issue with the sensitivity that defines Seattle. 

Homelessness has been a crisis in our city for years, and it has only been exacerbated by COVID-19. We support the city's efforts to find long-term solutions for community members who are experiencing homelessness. We take this issue seriously and are actively working with the city to compassionately address encampments of unhoused people near our schools, while keeping the safety of our students and staff at the forefront.

Yes, Seattle can have a level of sensitivity that other cities don’t but that is parallel to the fact that Seattle has a loooong process to deal with many issues. Homelessness is currently the most apparent one.

Lowell Elementary’s encampment got moved fairly quickly and it was the one CONTINUE READING: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Broadview-Thomson K-8 School Encampment: Hubris and Inaction May Mean Trouble

Schools Must Fully Reopen in the Fall - The Atlantic

Schools Must Fully Reopen in the Fall - The Atlantic

Schools Must Fully Reopen in the Fall

The American Federation of Teachers, which I lead, is committed to making this happen.

Schools must open this fall. In person. Five days a week. With the space and and health safeguards to do so. The American Federation of Teachers, which I lead, is committed to making this happen.

School is where children learn best, where they play together and form relationships and acquire resilience. It’s where many children who otherwise might go hungry eat breakfast and lunch. Parents rely on schools, not only to educate their kids, but so they can work. Nearly 3 million mothers have dropped out of the workforce during the pandemic.

Over the past 14 months, teachers have scrambled to redesign lessons and projects, and to create virtual field trips and labs to keep kids engaged and learning from afar. They are exhausted. They’re working longer hours, troubleshooting IT problems, and trying to connect with students despite the barriers—whether a computer screen or a plexiglass shield. School food workers kept meals coming, often feeding anyone in the community who needed it. Many school-bus drivers delivered those meals, along with schoolwork and internet hotspots so students could learn from home.

All the while, educators have yearned to be back in school, with their students. They asked only for a safe workplace during this pandemic, and the resources they and their students need to succeed.

Yet critics have scapegoated teachers and vilified their unions because of school closures during the pandemic, ignoring the extreme disparities among schools and blaming teachers for problems outside their control.

Creating safe conditions in schools during a public-health crisis is not an obstacle to reopening classrooms; it is the pathway to going back, staying back, and building trust throughout school communities.

We faced stiff headwinds. Donald Trump tweeted multiple times that schools should reopen but did nothing to help them do so safely. The Trump administration politicized safety and undermined science. As a result, from last April right up to January 19 this year, we were working to reopen schools in a climate of chaos, fear, and misinformation as the pandemic surged in wave after wave.

Thankfully, the Biden administration changed course and is fighting the pandemic with science, truth, transparency, and, yes, money. We have experienced some bumps, of course—this is a once-in-a-century pandemic. But today an overwhelming majority of schools across the country are open for in-person learning, either full- or part-time.

Vaccines have been a game changer. I hear this sentiment in educators’ voices and see it in our polling results. The fear that they will bring the virus home decreases the moment they get their shot. According to our data, 89 percent of our members are fully vaccinated or want to be. And this week we had more good news: The FDA authorized use of the Pfizer vaccine for 12-to-15-year-olds. CONTINUE READING: Schools Must Fully Reopen in the Fall - The Atlantic

Teachers union leader calls for 'fully reopening’ schools this fall - POLITICO

Teachers union leader calls for 'fully reopening’ schools this fall - POLITICO

Teachers union leader calls for 'fully reopening’ schools this fall

Randi Weingarten is promising a campaign that resembles a "get out the vote" effort, but for school reopening.

Nothing should stop public schools from fully reopening this fall, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten will declare this morning in a speech that will also set out details of a $5 million union outreach campaign to coax families back to in-person classes.

"Given current circumstances, nothing should stand in the way of fully reopening our public schools this fall and keeping them open," Weingarten is expected to say in an address scheduled for 11 a.m. ET.

"Public health experts caution that, unless many more people get vaccinated, we will not reach herd immunity against COVID," Weingarten said of returning to classes in a draft version of the address. "But we can manage the threat by encouraging people to get vaccines and following guidance from the CDC to prevent the spread of disease — which currently includes the layered mitigation of masking and distancing, ventilation and sanitizing, handwashing, and COVID testing and contact tracing that help prevent outbreaks and minimize quarantines."

Outreach campaign: Weingarten is promising a campaign that resembles a "get out the vote" effort, but for school reopening.

She's expected to note local unions, such as the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, will go door to door to visit students’ homes and encourage families to send their children back for in-person learning, and cite Covid-19 vaccination events in Los Angeles and Chicago.

The union released new polling results Wednesday that concluded 73 percent of parents — but only 59 percent of Black parents — said they are comfortable with in-person learning for their child this fall. By contrast, 94 percent of parents (and 87 percent of Black parents) said they’d be comfortable with in-person learning this fall if schools adopt safety measures such as mask-wearing and physical distancing requirements and make Covid-19 vaccines available at school buildings.

"These mitigation measures are vital," Weingarten is expected to say. "So is collaboration with parents to create trust and transparency."

Looking ahead: Weingarten will also use her speech to continue union calls CONTINUE READING: Teachers union leader calls for 'fully reopening’ schools this fall - POLITICO

Ed Notes Online: What Should Next School Year Look Like? - An Educators of NYC Presentation - Zoom Tuesday May 11, 7PM

Ed Notes Online: What Should Next School Year Look Like? - An Educators of NYC Presentation - Zoom Tuesday May 11, 7PM

What Should Next School Year Look Like? - An Educators of NYC Presentation - Zoom Tuesday May 11, 7PM

This is the kind of conversation the UFT should be having.

.. James Eterno, ICEUFT

Special Education Far Rockaway teacher Daniel Alicea, the major organizer at EONYC, is doing the kind of work the UFT should be doing, following up on EONYC's enormously successful monthly Zooms on Tuesday with probably the most important issue we face:  

What Should Next School Year Look Like?

The  link to sign up. He has  assembled a fantastic panel:

Panelists Set for EONYC May Forum: What Should Next School Year Look Like?

Our stakeholder panelists include parents, education activists, educators, and leaders from our various teacher caucuses We are just days away from our May 11th online forum where we will gather with expert panelists that include parents, education activists, educators, and leaders from our various teacher caucuses. We hope to also be able to lean on the expertise of a local medical doctor, as well.

As this school year of hybrid learning in a pandemic winds down, we as educators and stakeholders have begun to reflect and formulate questions about what the next school year should look like. At Tuesday evening’s event, we hope to share our collective thoughts, ideas, and demands for what should be prioritized in the upcoming school year.

Please join our next Educators of NYC monthly meetup, on Tuesday, May 11th, at 7 PM, as we discuss: WHAT SHOULD NEXT YEAR'S SCHOOL REOPENING LOOK LIKE IN A COVID WORLD?

 https://educatorsofnyc.substack.com/p/panelists-set-for-eonyc-may-forum

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Last month EONYC held a panel that included reps from every caucus and interest group in the UFT, including Unity Caucus and attracted hundreds to a webinar discussion of the UFT Mayoral Endorsement process,  which is basically 3 people in a room.  

The video of this event which dove deep into UFT policy is worth seeing: https://youtu.be/Xc-JGK5Zrew

Eterno pointed to how important these type of open discussions have been in his ad for the April event.

Everyone guesses the UFT will endorse Scott Stringer with some believing Maya Wiley has a chance to be second. Is this the right decision? Is the UFT top-down endorsement process fair?If you are looking for a real discussion on the mayor's race and the Union's involvement, you will most likely be out of luck at the DA as it will more than likely be tightly controlled by Mulgrew.

This was a day before the UFT special DA where they did endorse Stringer but did not choose Wiley or anyone as a second choice. I wrote about the Stringer story a few days ago: UFT Sticks with Stringer.

Here's more from EONYC:

Please join our next Educators of NYC monthly meetup, on Tuesday, May 11th, at 7 PM, as we discuss: WHAT SHOULD NEXT YEAR'S SCHOOL REOPENING LOOK LIKE IN A COVID WORLD?

We are just a day away from our May 11th online forum where we will gather with expert panelists that include parents, education activists, educators, and leaders from our various teacher caucuses. We hope to also be able to lean on the expertise of a local medical doctor, as well.

 

As this school year of hybrid learning in a pandemic winds down, we as educators and stakeholders have begun to reflect and formulate questions about what the next school year should look like. At Tuesday evening’s event, we hope to share our collective thoughts, ideas, and demands for what should be prioritized in the upcoming school year.

RSVP now!!! ... as our slots to participate will go quickly.

RSVP at: http://forum.educators.nyc

We, also, encourage you to take the pre-forum survey here if you haven’t and you can also view the preliminary results. Almost 4k individuals have responded already: http://educators.nyc/maysurvey

Lastly, if you have registered we will send you a Zoom link as the forum event approaches.

The forum event will also be live-streamed via Facebook Live our public Facebook page and private page.

Please share this with those in your education networks and circles.

Ed Notes Online: What Should Next School Year Look Like? - An Educators of NYC Presentation - Zoom Tuesday May 11, 7PM

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Reopening School Buildings

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Reopening School Buildings

Reopening School Buildings

I am interested in your thoughts about school building reopenings.

1) How has it been for your child to be back in their school buildings, even in a limited way?

2) Do you see safety protocols being enforced?

3) Do expect/want school buildings to be fully reopened on a regular school schedule in the fall?

Here’s an article from The Atlantic that says that right now, some of the concern over COVID appears to be performative, either thru habit or fear or both. 

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/05/liberals-covid-19-science-denial-lockdown/618780/

Alex Goldstein, a progressive PR consultant who was a senior adviser to Representative Ayanna Pressley’s 2018 campaign, told me. “Either you believe that you have a responsibility to take action to protect a person you don’t know OR you believe you have no responsibility to anybody who isn’t in your immediate family.”

My take is the former because I choose to live in a society. On a day-to-day basis, sure, my family comes first for me. But we do live in a society.

 I don’t have a problem being outdoors and not wearing a mask (and by that I CONTINUE READING: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Reopening School Buildings

September 21 School Opening and Unanswered Questions: Requiring Vaccinations, Remote Instruction, Teacher Accommodations, Summer School and “Catching Up” | Ed In The Apple

September 21 School Opening and Unanswered Questions: Requiring Vaccinations, Remote Instruction, Teacher Accommodations, Summer School and “Catching Up” | Ed In The Apple

September 21 School Opening and Unanswered Questions: Requiring Vaccinations, Remote Instruction, Teacher Accommodations, Summer School and “Catching Up”

As the COVID positive rates continue to spiral downwards and the vaccination numbers increase the State is moving towards a full school opening. Broadway can reopen on September 14th, large sports venues allowing larger and larger crowds and school districts are planning full reopening: with a host of issues to be resolved.

Will school districts retain a remote instruction option?

In NYC, for a subset of medically fragile children: maybe. It is highly unlikely that individual schools will operate in-person and remote; it is too complicated and there are other options. For example, children seeking remote option can be clustered in a district-wide remote school. The Department and the Union will partner in an in-person school initiative.

Can COVID vaccinations be required for students?

The NYS Department of Health currently requires vaccinations for school enrollment. See details here. 

Across the nation many states have vaccination requirements, and, in some states there is virulent opposition by anti-vaxxer parents. Some states have religious and medical exemptions. The decision would be made at the state level and it is highly unlikely for this September; a year or so down the road when vaccinations for children are available the state may develop policies..

 Can COVID vaccinations be required for CONTINUE READING: September 21 School Opening and Unanswered Questions: Requiring Vaccinations, Remote Instruction, Teacher Accommodations, Summer School and “Catching Up” | Ed In The Apple

Upper West Side Mommies Sue to Reopen Schools - south bronx school com

http://www.southbronxschool.com

Upper West Side Mommies Sue to Reopen Schools

Those "open the schools" folks are starting to bore me. 

According to today's New York Post, three Upper West Side mommies (Allison Weinger, Natalya Murakhver, and Stephanie Kokinos ) put word through Go Fund me to raise $20k for a
lawyer to take the DOE to court to force schools to go 100% in person. As of yesterday, April 9, the mommies have raised the money and hired a lawyer. They go to court on Monday, April 12. 

Sadly, these mommies haven't a clue. 

It seems they have become frustrated at the fact that they have become frustrated "after striking out with rallies and other measures to return kids to school full time."

That is simple. Because no one cares what they think. They think there is some kind of movement out there to reopen schools. Yes, it would be great for schools to reopen, but many don't trust the NYC DOE and many parents are still fearful of a complete return to in person learning. They've been led astray by a small, but vocal cabal on social media that believes it has the wind at its back. Let's not CONTINUE READING: http://www.southbronxschool.com

SSPI Issues Statement Regarding Reopening CA + SFSP Mandatory Training is Now Available - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

SSPI Issues Statement Regarding Reopening CA - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Issues Statement in Response to Governor’s Goal to Fully Reopen California as Early as June 15

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today issued the following statement in response to plans announced by Governor Gavin Newsom to fully reopen California’s economy by June 15 if vaccine supply remains sufficient and hospitalization rates stay low. Under these conditions outlined today, the Governor stated that schools should plan to conduct full-time, in-person instruction in the fall, in compliance with Cal/OSHA emergency temporary standards and public health guidelines.

“I share Governor Newsom’s optimism that as conditions continue to improve—and as all Californians continue common sense measures such as continuing to wear a mask and getting vaccinated—there is a clear pathway to a safe and full return to in-person teaching and learning this fall.

“To support school districts as they continue to welcome more and more students back to campuses, the California Department of Education (CDE) has spent recent weeks connecting school leaders to the best strategies and resources to implement the layered safety measures public health experts encourage—such as rapid COVID-19 testing and proper ventilation—that will facilitate a safe and sustainable return to in-person learning for students, school staff, teachers, and their families.

“We must prepare for the possibility that there will be some families who cannot or may choose not to send their students back to school campuses this fall, and schools may need the flexibility to offer some form of remote learning. I look forward to engaging with the Governor’s Office and lawmakers on next steps that are designed to ensure we are meeting the health, safety, and learning needs of every California student.

“While we are encouraged by the improving conditions, we must also continue to proceed with caution and with a continued focus on science and safety. There are still many unknowns about the COVID-19 variants that public health officials are monitoring and have observed spreading among some youth. Additionally, I am heartened by the early research on vaccine effectiveness in adolescents and am hopeful more of our youth will be able to get vaccinated in the months ahead.

“Returning to in-person instruction must include an urgent focus on addressing opportunity gaps experienced most among students who were already at a disadvantage before the pandemic disrupted learning. I have convened state leaders, equity groups, superintendents, school employee groups, and other partners to better understand and identify ways we can support the immediate and long-term academic needs of our students, as well as strategies for prioritizing relationships, addressing trauma, and supporting social emotional wellness. At my direction, this working group will be making recommendations to school districts as they finalize plans for this critical next phase of public education.”

# # # #

Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

SSPI Issues Statement Regarding Reopening CA - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

SFSP Mandatory Training is Now Available - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sfspmandtrainavail2021.asp

The California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division (NSD) Community Nutrition Programs Unit (CNPU) is pleased to announce that the 2021 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) annual online Mandatory Training is now available.

Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, sections 225.7(a) and 225.15(d)(1), requires all participating sponsors to annually attend state agency training and to train all administrative staff and site staff before they undertake their responsibilities. This training requirement must be met by all current, new, or returning SFSP sponsors by the SFSP Application deadline of May 15th or 30 days prior to the first day of service (in the case of new or inactive sponsors), whichever comes first.

The 2021 Mandatory Training is a two-part training consisting of 11 independent courses and a separate Mandatory Training Assessment.

SFSP Mandatory Training Courses Part 1

Sponsors will be required to designate a supervisory personnel staff member or authorized representative responsible for the food service to complete the 11 individual online trainings which cover SFSP regulations, how to run a successful summer program, and best practices for operating meal sites. This training is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service 2016 SFSP Administration Guide. Please note that the Administration Guide has not been updated to include current information on program thresholds and policy rescissions. To review current policy and regulations, please visit the CDE Summer Food Management Bulletin web page.

In addition to the 11 training courses, sponsors are required to review and follow - all existing and new regulations and policies pertaining to their program operations, which are located on the following web pages:

• CDE Summer Food Management Bulletin web page
• USDA Policy Memorandum web page
• Covid-19 Guidance in the Child Nutrition Program – SFSP web page
• CDE SFSP Information web page

The required course work for the SFSP Mandatory Training is available on the SFSP Information web page under the training tab. The course list is as follows:

• Course 6 SFSP Program Eligibility
• Course 7 SFSP Sponsor and Site Identification
• Course 8 SFSP Sponsor Application
• Course 9 SFSP Meal Requirements
• Course 10 SFSP Vending Options
• Course 11 SFSP Procurement and Bid Procedures
• Course 12 SFSP Staff Duties and Training
• Course 13 SFSP Program Integrity
• Course 14 SFSP Program Costs and Reimbursement
• Course 15 SFSP Recordkeeping
• Course 16 SFSP Food Safety

Certificates of completion will be available to print after successfully completing each course. Sponsors are also welcome to record their certificates of completion through screen captures. Please note that you must select Submit after printing or capturing your certificate of completion. If you do not submit the survey, we may receive incomplete data with which to verify completion of courses. Sponsors will be required to upload their designated supervisory personnel staff member or authorized representative’s certificates of completion for each of these trainings into their Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) Application Packet. Please submit certificates under the Meal Pattern checklist item for consistency. After successfully viewing and submitting all required certificates of completion, CNPU analysts will verify course completions and provide sponsors access to the second training component: the SFSP Mandatory Training Assessment. Sponsors are encouraged to notify their assigned CNPU analyst of course completion only after all 11 courses have been completed.

To review how to submit checklist items, please review the job aid instructions included in the CNIPS. These can be found on the Download Forms page, Form ID SFSP Job Aid 2 Application Packet. Checklist item instructions begin on page 45, Checklist Summary. Please submit your certificates under the Meal Pattern checklist item for consistency.

Mandatory Training Assessment Part 2

The SFSP Mandatory Training Assessment consists of 30 scored questions based on the content covered in the 11 courses. All questions must be answered. A score of 80 percent or more must be achieved to move on to the final certificate of completion. Sponsors that do not meet this minimum score will be notified to return to their course material and to take the assessment again until a passing score is achieved.

For your convenience, A 2021 Mandatory Training—Step by Step “How To” guide on completing the training is available on the SFSP CNIPS Download Forms section as Form ID SFSP Job Aid 8.

Contact Information

For questions regarding this subject, please contact the NSD CNPU by email at SFSP@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609

My Kids’ School Closed Again. So I Started Calling Experts. — ProPublica

My Kids’ School Closed Again. So I Started Calling Experts. — ProPublica

My Kids’ School Closed Again. So I Started Calling Experts.

Many New York City public schools have been repeatedly closed because of two positive COVID-19 tests, even without evidence of in-school spread. Experts call it “crazy.” And it’s driving me nuts.

Here is the minute I finally lost it: Sunday, March 21, at 9:34 p.m.

That’s when my wife and I got an email saying our kids’ New York City public elementary school would be closed yet again. Testing had found two positive COVID-19 cases among nearly 700 students and staff.

It was the fifth time the school had closed since New York reopened schools in the fall. Each time has been the same: First, we get an email that testing has turned up one case. A few days later, we get a second email saying testing has found a second case and the whole school will be closed for a day while health officials investigate.

And then, every time, comes the coup de grâce form letter: “Subject: 10 Day Bldg Closure.” Per New York City policy, two unlinked cases result in the building being shuttered for 10 consecutive days.

The first time it happened, I didn’t wonder about the rationale. Everything has been crazy during COVID-19. And despite more than 25,000 deaths, New York City, with the country’s largest public school system by far, was way ahead of most other cities in opening up schools.

Then it happened again in January, again in February and twice in March. Let me be honest here: Something in me snapped with the last one. Our kids, a second grader and a fourth grader, had done five in-person school days since the previous 10-day shutdown and 19 total since the New Year. Everyone in our apartment was struggling.

I’m lucky enough to be able to work from home. But I couldn’t concentrate. Our kids needed help. And I just could not get my mind off the rule, which mandates closure for two cases regardless of the school’s size or if, as has happened in my school, the two cases are kids grades apart who never cross paths. What, I CONTINUE READING: My Kids’ School Closed Again. So I Started Calling Experts. — ProPublica

$6 Billion in Reopening/Expanded Learning Funding - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

$6 Billion in Reopening/Expanded Learning Funding - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

$6 Billion in Reopening and Expanded Learning Funding Amounts for TK-12 Schools Now Available

SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today has posted estimated local education agency (LEA) allocations from the $6.6 billion made available as part of the Assembly Bill (AB) 86 COVID-19 relief package. The funding provided by AB 86 will accelerate the safe return to in-person instruction across California and provide schools the resources to expand academic, mental health and social-emotional supports, including over the summer.

“As more school districts across California announce plans to bring students back into classrooms, we at the CDE are providing the technical support our schools need to access resources in a timely way so educators can focus on providing a safe return to in-person learning, accelerate learning, and begin recovering,” said State Superintendent Tony Thurmond.

A breakdown of how the $2 billion for In-Person Instruction (IPI) Grants and $4.6 billion for Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Grants were determined for each LEA are available on the CDE IPI and ELO Grants Funding Results web page.

Funding for the IPI Grants was determined based on the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The ELO Grants are also determined based on the LCFF with an additional $1,000 for each homeless student.

The $2 billion IPI grants are available to LEAS offering in-person instruction, including hybrid models, by April 1, 2021, and funding will be reduced by one percent for each calendared instructional day that all required groups are not receiving in-person instruction. IPI Grants will be forfeited if a local education agency does not offer in-person instruction for all required student groups by May 15, 2021. IPI Grants can be used for purposes associated with in-person instruction including COVID-19 testing, cleaning and disinfection, personal protective equipment, ventilation, salaries, and social and mental health support services.

The Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant makes up the remaining $4.6 billion, which can be used for extended instructional learning time, learning supports, health, counseling mental health and social emotional learning, community learning hubs, supports for credit deficient pupils, and training for school staff. 

LEAs will need to adopt and submit a plan for the new funding.

In May 2021, LEAs will receive 50 percent of their estimated allocation for both the IPI and ELO Grants. Allocation amounts for both the IPI and ELO Grants will be recalculated based on final data for the fiscal year. In August 2021, LEAs will receive the remainder of their allocation, less any reduction or forfeiture of IPI Grants described above.

LEAs must spend funds by August 31, 2022.

CDE is developing a list of Frequently Asked Questions that will be posted to its website in the near future. Questions may be directed to InPersonGrants@cde.ca.gov  and ELOGrants@cde.ca.gov.

# # # #

Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

$6 Billion in Reopening/Expanded Learning Funding - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)