August 6, 2020 | Los Angeles Times

Many teachers, students and their families can agree on one thing after experiencing the unexpected hurricane that was distance learning this spring: It must improve—especially in the earliest grades, transitional kindergarten through second grade. Our youngest students, from ages 4...

August 3, 2020 | CalMatters

A week before some California districts start school, many parents remain in the dark about what online learning will look like as teachers unions and districts negotiate instruction plans — in some cases behind closed doors. Major points of contention...

An Invaluable Tool for Reducing Educational Inequity
Commentary authors
Cecelia Leong
Summary

Monitoring attendance, especially during COVID-19, holds immense importance, reflecting educational disparities. Chronic absence predicts future academic challenges. Student absences signal inadequate learning conditions and require systemic solutions. Senate Bill 98 mandates daily attendance tracking and participation documentation in distance learning, ensuring early interventions for absent students. Measuring attendance in remote settings is complex, but vital. Attendance Works suggests a multi-metric approach, identifying at-risk students and barriers to participation. Different responses address various challenges—connectivity, relationships, or instructional engagement. Tracking absence rates per learning opportunity helps pinpoint support needs. Recommendations include publishing chronic absence data, collecting connectivity statistics, and providing guidance for asynchronous learning data collection. Detailed attendance tracking aids targeted interventions and ensures equitable learning experiences.

July 29, 2020 | ABC10

For most California students in schools and colleges, the fall term will look like the middle of spring: online with little to no in-person instruction. But if students and parents accepted the rapid switch to online in March and April...

July 17, 2020 | Edutopia

As the new school year looms in the U.S., many teachers are unsure of the exact amount of time they will need to dedicate to remote teaching. With departments of education and districts looking to maintain both teacher and student...

July 10, 2020 | Politifact

As thousands of school districts figure out how and to what degree they will reopen this fall, President Donald Trump railed against the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The administration has tightly linked reopening schools to...

Possible Policy Responses
Commentary author
Summary

English learners (ELs) face diverse challenges during the pandemic, with varied educational needs and health concerns. The forthcoming academic year will likely amplify the academic gap between EL and non-EL students due to limited access to distance learning. To address this, several policy recommendations are proposed. Universal basic income, health care, and tech access are vital for EL families, especially for those in low-income or undocumented situations. Distance learning must cater to ELs by providing devices, multilingual content, and non-tech learning options. Improved communication with EL families and leveraging their cultural assets are crucial. Extending learning time for ELs, promoting collaboration among teachers, and hiring bilingual family members as aides or tutors are recommended. Assessing returning students' academic status and monitoring funds allocated for ELs' needs are vital. These policy suggestions aim to address EL education challenges amidst the pandemic, stressing equity, resources, and inclusivity in education.