Some things we have read through recently…

School Reopening, Boston

As of last night, 95% of Massachusetts school districts and charter schools had decided and communicated its reopening plan.

Boston has not.

The day after it was due to the state last Friday, Boston publicly released an updated draft of its reopening plan. The document featured about 20 more pages of information (see yellow highlights; a large percentage of that relates to health protocols). It was reviewed at School Committee on Wednesday, but there were no decisions or votes. Unlike most Massachusetts communities, Boston School Committee will not approve a reopening plan; they meet again in about a month.

Both Mayor Walsh and Superintendent Cassellius made multiple press appearances on Tuesday, delivering the message that a decision has not been made around how to open school.

A review of the updated plan confirms that.

Public Engagement

Probably the most dramatic shift in decision making has been to families. BPS families received a survey Wednesday that is due next week.

Families must decide if they will choose to attend in a hybrid environment or choose to stay remote. BPS would use this information to create hybrid schedule and determine remote learning needs.

School-Level Capacity

The major operational hiccup here is that school-based plans are not due until the same day family surveys are due - August 28th (page 72). That means BPS families must answer the question above without knowing (1) what day(s) their children could attend school, (2) what transportation looks like, (3) and facilities and operational safety measures and adjustments in their child’s building.

Very unlikely BPS get valid responses from families.

Let alone viable school-based plans. Principals have been tasked with creating large stakeholder groups (page 72), while many do not have access to their school buildings.

New York City announced its hybrid approach on July 8th. This week, they weren’t starting to make plans for school buildings or ordering. They were delivering stuff and labeling it.

Start Dates

BPS families do not know what the first day of school is. It was well-covered that the big news from the updated plan was the request to start on September 21st; emphasis on request because starting this late requires a state waiver (which has not yet been approved).

It is also worth noting that this start is remote. In a hybrid model, some students would start in school much later (page 30, not highlighted).

These details matter because they raise significant planning and child care issues for families. There is reference to finding community partners to provide childcare on remote learning days, but there is no actual plan to do so.

Equity

Equity pursuits have also been shifted to families. Families of high needs students may request additional days of instruction. But it is not clear how these preferences are prioritized, as it is listed as “Hybrid C,” a separate option from Hybrid A/B (formerly known as "Hopscotch"). Supporting students with special education is one page; English Language Learner support is about a page and a half.

BPS staff kick-off this week emphasized anti-racist and culturally competent practices.

Learning

Additional details and standards are included in the updated plan (pages 54-72). There is a significant emphasis on wellness and social and emotional learning.

None of this is final. Much is subject to negotiating a new MOU with the Boston Teachers Union.

Buses

There is a lot more detail on safety and health protocols on buses (page 41).

It is not clear what children can take the bus. With capacity reduced to ⅓, the plan states “we must find other ways to get students to school safely.”

Other ways were not enumerated.

What’s Next?

Mayor Walsh also stated that the decision on school reopening would come “soon” (no date given).

School Reopening, MA and Beyond

The public battle over school safety continued this week. Teachers protested school safety (outside of the State House) and protested (online) that this was not a disservice to improving remote learning. Another study on children’s ability to transmit COVID-19. Required flu vaccines. The state pledges to roll out rapid mobile testing for schools. Even without all caps, President Trump created additional stress and controversy.

All of that said, Governor Baker reported that over 70% of MA school districts will be offering some in-person learning.

But even districts that decided on this...may not have decided on this. After public pressure, Cambridge pulled back its initial plan for a hybrid, phased-in approach and is now starting fully remote. Sharon has voted on a hybrid model, but its teachers voted to start remotely.

In remote learning, attendance and truancy are in the eye of the beholder (and highly correlated with race).

In Massachusetts, high school football is on hold and there will be no big games or tournaments in other fall sports.

Students share their fears about returning to school. From Salem, MA and San Diego, CA.

The New York Times kicked off a special COVID-19 and education newsletter. It led with a sobering graphic of school districts meeting public health standards for reopening schools.