California-based education, advocacy and civil right groups are calling for schools to make a “restorative restart” that emphasizes relationship-building, staffing supports and promoting equity as students return to schools in the fall.
The ability to read fluently and comprehend what you read is, hands down, the most important academic skill a child needs to master to be successful in school and later in adult life. There is no substitute for a lack...
California education experts have teamed up with child advocates, teachers and school administrators to create a framework for redesigning in-person learning over the coming months. The framework, called “Reimagine and Rebuild: Restarting School with Equity at the Center” was announced...
As the one-year anniversary of campus closures due to COVID-19 passed last March, nearly half of America’s children were attending schools operating remotely or open only on a hybrid basis. In California, more than 70% of students were attending schools...
To help students readjust to life after the pandemic, schools should use their Covid-relief funding windfall to imbue mental health, equity and relationships into every aspect of the school day, according to a sweeping new report.
A wide-ranging coalition of research, education, and community organizations from across California today introduced and endorsed a new framework based on research and lived experiences in schools outlining a restorative restart for public schools in California as students return to campus in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kids walking in groups, backpacks fastened onto small backs; a yellow bus making its frequent stops; the ringing of bells signaling the start of another school day. These were some of the most familiar sights and sounds of mornings in...
Students returning to the classroom are finding themselves with a lot fewer classmates around. New numbers from the South Bay's largest school district show the vast majority of older students chose to remain at home.
Three new PACE commentaries join a larger series of PACE publications expanded learning partnerships and learning hubs can play an important role in supporting students now and throughout pandemic recovery.
With distance learning, high-school youth attendance has dropped and more youth are at risk of dropping out. It is more important than ever to connect with and re-engage high-school youth this summer. Hands-on, paid work experience and enrichment programs can...
Recently two EDCOE team members – Tamara Clay, Executive Director of Special Services and Amy Andersen, Executive Director of Personnel Services – contributed to an article by the Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE). In the context of the pandemic...
This brief highlights the need and ways to transform—systematically—how schools address the overlapping learning, behavioral, and emotional problems that can interfere with learning and teaching. The aim is to provide a blueprint to enable the state, Local Education Agencies (LEAs)...
The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the educational challenges for homeless students, disproportionately impacting Black and Latinx youth. Despite efforts like Project Roomkey providing temporary shelter, transitional-age students faced barriers accessing education and support services. Collaboration between schools and expanded learning partners offers a path forward. Recommendations include developing trust-based multigenerational support, addressing educational gaps among homeless youth, and creating personalized learning hubs. Centralized support programs, such as Berkeley Unified School District's HOPE, and leveraging expanded learning staff to identify and support homeless students are crucial. Reimagining student transportation and fostering inter-agency collaborations are key steps toward providing comprehensive and equitable support to homeless students and families. Strengthening partnerships between schools and expanded learning programs remains essential to redefine educational support for homeless students beyond traditional classroom settings.
COVID-19 amplified the challenges for students with learning differences during distance learning, prompting the implementation of in-person or hybrid special education services. Yet, these adaptations diverge from conventional methods, necessitating innovative solutions. Collaborating with expanded learning partners offers a broader approach beyond crisis teaching, aiming for comprehensive support. Key strategies involve sharing training resources, prioritizing universally accessible learning environments, and restructuring the school day to better suit individual needs. However, barriers to collaboration persist, including funding misalignments and compliance concerns within existing regulations like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Addressing these challenges requires policy adjustments, collaborative platforms, and interagency agreements to ensure cohesive support for students with disabilities across different learning environments.
In response to the educational challenges posed by COVID-19, a partnership between The Accelerated Schools (TAS) and the expanded learning provider, arc, aimed to revamp learning strategies for older students in South Los Angeles. Recognizing the inadequacy of a one-size-fits-all model, they reimagined a student-centered approach tailored to address the complex needs of older students in a virtual learning setting. Amidst pandemic disruptions, they observed that older students, often juggling familial and economic responsibilities, struggled with remote learning. The collaboration utilized a mix of synchronous and asynchronous models, leveraging community-based organizations (CBOs) to reinforce instructional content, support student needs, and enhance engagement. Lessons highlighted the need for robust collaboration between schools and CBOs, shared grading systems for consistency, and ongoing student input in shaping educational strategies. Their experience underscored the value of this partnership in creating innovative, adaptable learning approaches that better serve students during unprecedented times.
Long Beach schools, along with most other schools across the state and country, shut down their campuses last March to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. At the time, officials estimated the closures would last about a month. It’s...
Tony Thurmond, California’s state superintendent of public instruction, didn’t expect the school closures across the state last year to last more than a few weeks. County school superintendents that he spoke with about the pandemic response weren’t too concerned either...
A long-awaited deal to encourage California’s schools to reopen may provide families hope, but it’s unlikely to swiftly improve Gov. Gavin Newsom’s political standing. It has been almost a year since California schools shut their doors indefinitely to combat the...
Interviews with eight parents in five states showed how Edgenuity software was pressed into duty by some school districts as a kind of all-in-one approach to remote learning after Covid-19 shuttered most schools nationwide 11 months ago. It's one piece...
Nearly a year after schools closed campuses, most of Sacramento County’s 250,000 students are still attending school via distance learning, all while thousands of students in neighboring counties managed to return to in-person instruction months ago. Many parents have hit...
The aim of this commentary—released as part of a series on expanded learning partnerships and learning hubs in a distance learning context—is to provide actionable guidance for districts, schools, and expanded learning providers interested in best serving youth in the...
The commentary is a guidebook for districts, schools, and expanded learning providers in better serving California's 60,000 foster care youth amid the pandemic. For these vulnerable youth, COVID-19 worsened existing trauma, isolation, and educational disruptions due to frequent home and school changes. Collaboration among public systems and community partners is crucial to create caring systems acknowledging individual strengths and needs. To bolster pandemic recovery, the approach should prioritize tailored programs by consulting foster youth about their needs, amplifying community expertise, employing staff knowledgeable about schools, and ensuring accessible health services and multilingual resources. Creativity, flexibility, and continuous learning are vital in addressing the immediate and long-term needs of foster care youth, emphasizing constant evaluation through their perspectives for effective support.
As districts, schools, and families navigate a new normal following the abrupt end of in-person schooling this spring, students’ learning opportunities vary enormously across the nation. Access to devices and broadband internet and a secure learning environment are just a...
The transition to distance learning for all students has been a challenge, but particularly for those in transitional kindergarten through third grade who have not yet learned to read or lack experience using computers. A new brief from Policy Analysis...
