Amid the pandemic, California schools are undergoing extraordinary efforts to support students and families during the pandemic, but the forthcoming academic year poses unprecedented challenges. Without conventional metrics like grades and attendance data, educators face a monumental task amid reduced budgets, varied learning opportunities, and unequal access to resources among students. To aid teachers in this complex scenario, system leaders must shift their focus from traditional professional learning structures to include cognitive science and emotional learning. Creating safe, collaborative environments where teachers can self-reflect and learn collectively is crucial. As schools grapple with the crisis and opportunity gaps, a successful response necessitates prioritizing the learning experiences and insights of frontline educators, fostering conditions for meaningful collaborative learning, and focusing on the student experience. This approach centers on listening to both students and teachers, ensuring a sense of belonging, and promoting adult learning in collaborative spaces.

California's schools are facing a staggering $19 billion deficit over two years, a sum that might climb higher as new tax filings arrive. As schools grapple with the complexities of reopening amidst the pandemic, districts find themselves burdened with escalating costs amid dwindling resources. Drawing from lessons learned during the 2008 crisis, a multitude of strategies, while not a singular remedy, could offer relief. However, with 1100 districts and 1200 charter schools, each with distinct challenges, proposed cuts range from 10% to LCFF and potentially exceeding 50% in other programs, excluding special education. The state's reserves, comprising $12 billion, around 17% of the budget, provide some respite, but relying solely on these reserves isn't a viable long-term option. Districts are contemplating various approaches, including staffing reductions, truncated school years, payment deferrals, and federal aid, among other measures, although each poses its own set of challenges. These options, though not a complete solution, can be strategically employed by individual districts with state support to mitigate the impending financial crisis, requiring thoughtful, adaptable solutions as schools aim to revert to pre-crisis financial commitments post-recovery.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, PACE Executive Director Heather Hough offers an approach involving multiple phases, transitioning from immediate action to re-entry and eventual recovery. The closure of schools due to the pandemic is expected to result in substantial learning loss, especially among disadvantaged students, necessitating a comprehensive assessment of their academic and emotional needs upon their return to school. This crisis has highlighted disparities in distance learning and accentuated existing inequalities, making it imperative to address diverse impacts and support students effectively. To address these challenges, proposing a state-level diagnostic assessment using existing resources like SBAC emerges as a unified and cost-effective means to identify learning gaps and guide resource allocation. The upcoming school term brings uncertainty, demanding clear guidelines, adaptability, and adequate resources for schools to embrace novel learning models. Immediate measures include safeguarding education funding, urging federal support, and targeting assistance for vulnerable students. Additionally, there is an opportunity to overhaul California's funding system to better reflect the critical importance of public education. This commentary is modified from testimony delivered to the California Assembly Budget Committee on April 28, 2020.

In this podcast (transcribed) for the California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO), Heather Hough highlights research and perspectives related to the fundamental importance of public education, school funding levels and policies, and proactive approaches that should be on the table as California plans its recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

The aftermath of COVID-19 poses a serious threat to California's education, expecting a drastic decline in tax revenue. School closures will harm all students academically and emotionally, highlighting educational inequalities. Policymakers must reimagine the system as Governor Newsom's proposed budget investments face uncertainty amidst growing needs post-pandemic. The education funding system shifted in 2013 with the Local Control Funding Formula, providing additional funds for districts with high-need students. However, the pandemic has rendered the new support system, reliant on the California School Dashboard, irrelevant. Issues such as inadequate timing and inconsistent district identification for assistance surfaced in a pre-pandemic report. A revised support system should engage diverse expertise, span multiple years, involve stakeholders, and address emerging post-pandemic needs. Simply patching the existing system won't surpass pre-pandemic outcomes; policymakers must seize this disruption to overhaul California's education structures.