Family Letter from MA Department of Education

March 30, 2020Dear Parents and Guardians:First and most importantly, I hope you and your family are healthy and safe. As the commissioner of K-12 public education in the state and a parent of two public school kids, I know that these are unprecedented times, and many of you are being asked to step into unfamiliar roles. I understand the extraordinary pressure you are facing as you balance caring for children, helping them learn, and, in many cases, continuing your own work. I want to assure you that we are working hard to provide your school leaders with the necessary guidance to support students and families during these difficult times. We are all in this together, working on behalf of our children.On March 25, the Governor announced that public and private schools in Massachusetts must remain closed for in-person instruction until Monday, May 4 in order to prevent further spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The order does not include residential schools for students with disabilities. As we get closer to May 4, we expect to have more information about whether schools will reopen as planned.I am writing to you today to inform you about the steps we are taking to support students while schools are closed. Your school and district leaders and teachers will be in touch with you as additional information becomes available. For now, the following may be helpful:

• Remote Learning: I understand that nothing can replace the in-person interaction and learning experience of being in school. All the students and educators with whom I have spoken with sorely miss learning in person as part of a community. While we do not expect remote learning to replicate the traditional school day, schools will use remote learning tools and instructional materials to develop and provide students with appropriately structured and supported ways to keep learning.

Remote learning can encompass a wide variety of learning opportunities. While technology can be a supportive tool, districts and schools should also consider ways that student learning can continue offline. This could include exploring the natural world, activities to support students’ local communities (with appropriate social distancing) and engaging hands-on projects and artistic creations that stem from students’ own passions and experiences.Examples of remote learning tools include large-group video or audio conference calls, 1:1 phone or video calls, email, work packets, projects, reading lists, online learning platforms, and other resources to effectively engage with students. These tools could be used to deliver lessons, provide individual student support, provide resources (including instructional material and student assignments), connect students to each other and the teacher, and provide feedback on student work.Above all, I recognize that schools and teachers are best positioned to develop plans to meet their students’ needs and that these needs may change over the course of this extended closure.To further expand learning opportunities for students, we have partnered with public broadcaster WGBH and its partner station WGBY to provide resources for use by students who are learning at home. The resources include the stations’  newly launched online distance learning center (https://www.wgbh.org/distance-learning-center) with lessons for every grade level and free access for educators to PBS LearningMedia (https://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/).  Middle and high school students also have access to more educational programming on the WGBH and WGBY WORLD Channel from noon to 5 p.m., and younger students can tune into other public broadcasting channels such as WGBH Kids for educational programming. Other supplemental educational resources have been posted on our website (http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/ed-resources.html).

• Required days of school: Schools do not have to make up days that are cancelled due to the public health emergency, beyond the previously set aside five snow days. The state is not requiring any school to go beyond its previously scheduled 185^th day of the school year, although each school district could decide to go longer.
• MCAS testing: We understand that educators, parents, and students are anxious to know more about testing. Please keep in mind that annual testing is required by both the federal and state government. At this time, we have received an initial waiver from the federal requirement and are working at the state level to explore options that are in the best interest of students. We will decide as quickly as possible about this year’s tests and the Competency Determination required for high school graduation.

Meaningful learning opportunities and ongoing connections with teachers and service providers are vitally important for students with disabilities. During the coming weeks, schools will continue to develop and expand ways to provide special education services remotely. If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), you should expect that members of your child’s special education team will check in with you to help you and your child access these services.Your child’s participation in the activities and supports provided by the school will not result in changes to your child’s IEP. IEP meetings are not needed in order for the school to provide services remotely. When school resumes, your child’s IEP team will follow up as necessary to determine next steps in supporting your child’s progress.We encourage families, school administrators, and teachers to work together to find the best ways to support each child during this challenging time.

• English learner education: The Remote Learning recommendations acknowledge that equity needs to be a top consideration in local planning efforts and that districts need to support students to engage in meaningful and productive learning with the understanding that the individual student experience will vary depending on various factors. Federal civil rights laws require schools to take appropriate steps to address the language barriers that prevent English learners from meaningfully participating in their education and to support local planning. We will soon issue further guidance on ways to support English learners during the extended school closure.

• Residential schools for students with disabilities: The Governor’s March 25 order extending school closure does not apply to residential schools for students with disabilities. These schools are consulting with local boards of health and the state Department of Public Health to make decisions about how to deal with their specific situations. We are in close communication with these schools to support the continuity of services to the maximum extent possible and to support the health and safety of students and staff.

• School meals: We are working with schools and other community-based organizations to help get food to students who may need it. There are over 1,000 meal sites open across the state. To find a site near you, please visit the Project Bread meal site finder online at https://meals4kids.org/schoolclosure or contact them by phone at 800-645-8333.

Preventing and Stopping Bullying and HarassmentCOVID-19 is not at all connected to race, ethnicity, or nationality. Bullying or harassment related to COVID-19 that is based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, or disability will not be tolerated. It may result in a violation of state and federal civil rights laws.If you believe that you or your children have experienced bullying or harassment related to the COVID-19 outbreak, or if this happens in the future, please contact your school’s civil rights officer, principal or your superintendent’s office. You may also contact our Problem Resolution System Office at 781-338-3700 or compliance@doe.mass.edu.For more information, please visit the following COVID-19 websites:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html)
• The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (mass.gov/covid19)
• The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/)

Also, the National Association of School Psychologists has advice on how to talk about the virus with children (https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-%28coronavirus%29-a-parent-resource).I know that to support our children well, we all need to maintain our own mental health. I encourage you to examine resources available to support your own health and well-being (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/maintaining-emotional-health-well-being-during-the-covid-19-outbreak).We will provide additional information about MCAS and graduation requirements soon. If you have questions that are not addressed here, please email us at COVID19K12ParentInfo@mass.gov or call us at (781) 338-3700.Thank you for all you are doing to support your children during these challenging times.Sincerely, Jeffrey C. RileyCommissioner