Politics, not science, driving many school opening plans
State and federal leaders must urgently issue clear and objective guidance to ensure school reopenings follow the science of the virus, not the politics of the moment.
Students experiencing homelessness are largely invisible in school reopening plans
The needs of students experiencing homelessness have been neglected in both the national dialogue on the impact of pandemic-related school closures and school districts’ plans for remote learning.
We reviewed 86 districts’ reopening plans for the 2020-21 school year. Here’s some of what we found
Remote learning is no longer an unprecedented mode of delivery for most schools across America. For many students returning to class in the coming weeks, it will be back to school online.
More districts opt for virtual learning; Senate HEALS Act out of touch with public health reality
After reviewing the latest plans from 106 districts and 18 charter management organizations—which serve over 10 million students—it’s clear that although many districts had been planning to open in-person on a regular or hybrid/rotating schedule, their plans have changed.
More districts are going remote; will they avoid spring’s missteps?
As districts and states grapple with whether and how to bring students back into classrooms, academic planning is getting short shrift and vulnerable groups, such as students experiencing homelessness and English language learners, appear to be especially shortchanged in district planning.
First District Reopening Plans Illuminate Tradeoffs and Confusion In Politically Charged Environment
Last week, school reopening was thrust into the national and political spotlight as President Donald Trump polarized the issue and Betsy DeVos, his education secretary, threatened to divert federal funding from schools that do not open in-person. Districts and states have been slow to release much detail on what to expect in the fall, but […]
An Early Plan from a Must-Watch District: Reopening in Miami-Dade
The fifth-largest school district in the country was one of the earliest in the country to move instruction online, and by our account, it delivered one of the most robust plans.
Summer Haze: School Districts Slow to Communicate What Will Happen After the School Year Ends
The end of an unusual school year is on the horizon, yet few districts have provided details on what, if any, summer learning opportunities their students will have. Summer school is typically used to make up missed credits, provide enrichment, or give working families much-needed childcare. This year, there are new, urgent needs. Almost every […]
Still No Consistent Plan for Remote Learning for Hundreds of Thousands of Students at Some of America’s Biggest School Districts
Since the middle of March, when schools across the country closed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Center on Reinventing Public Education’s nationwide tracking effort has told a story of school systems slowly making the transition from the classroom to the cloud. Now, nearly two months into our nationwide tracking effort, most […]
Remote Classes Are in Session for More School Districts, But Attendance Plans Are Still Absent
Six weeks into COVID-19 school closures, and at roughly the midpoint of the final academic quarter of this school year, we are stepping back to assess what schools and districts have accomplished—and the gaps in learning opportunities that remain—as students, teachers, and families prepare to close out 2019-20. Districts have come a long way in this […]
