FYI from BSF, 8.28.20
Some things we have read through recently…
School Reopening, Boston
Perhaps we should change the timing of our weekly news round-up and analysis. An awful lot seems to be happening on Friday afternoons now.
It was hard to miss the announcement of the proposed Boston Public Schools calendar released at the end of last week (here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here).
Why proposed?
Because the late remote start of September 21st still requires a state approval - September 16th is latest schools were allowed to re-open.
This all presumes that returning college students and cold and flu season don’t push transmission rates up by then, resulting in continued remote learning.
Why calendar?
Because it is not a plan - it is a series of dates.
Family surveys and school building plans are due today. What do they say? And are they even valid, given disparities by race and the inability for many principals to enter their buildings, respectively?
Families still don’t actually know when their children will attend school, and there have been no announcements for expanded child care options, requiring coordination and administrative hurdles. Regardless, and absent any direction from the city, community organizations like the YMCA are trying to identify space.
Put aside back-to-school supplies - how is remote learning going to be better this year? BPS has posted some new data Students certainly voted with their logins - only 1 out of 16 high school students routinely appeared for class or work last spring. Teachers were surveyed, what went the worst during remote learning? Answer: learning.
The “simulcast” teaching approach initially broached by BPS has not been officially accepted or replaced. So, what are kids actually doing on September 21st? Let’s hope supply chains hold up.
After some outcry, there has been a move to serve higher needs students in-person first. But what are we doing for those children now?
Buses are unclear, affecting not just BPS but also charter and private schools that require transportation. This is particularly urgent as many charter and parochial schools are already open or preparing to open as early as next week.
If these points seem repetitive, it is because they are. BPS children, families, and educators do not actually know much more about this school-year than they did one month ago.
A new national survey of parents, teachers, and kids had an interesting insight.
What do almost all parents and kids care about? Certainty.
What do almost no parents and kids care about? Chromebooks.
Which one of those has our city been delivering?
Maybe there will be another announcement later today.
School Reopening, MA and Beyond
In other late Friday afternoon news, the state released guidance that teachers and educators should return to school buildings, even for remote instruction. This sparked quick responses.
Another major Massachusetts city, Newton, has also altered course to open remotely.
Here is a good breakdown of school districts plans for in-person, hybrid, and remote across the country.
The NYTimes schools briefing is capturing larger trends:
Other Matters
A promising research finding: the Massachusetts Early College program appears to be having rapid positive effects, particularly for historically marginalized students.
The annual PDK poll shows a growing interest in education as a political issue.
Another released survey shows strong, broad support by families for anti-discrimination and anti-racist practices in schools - but differences in priorities.