Distance Learning in RUSD 2020-21 Presentation to Board of Education - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Distance Learning in RUSD 2020-21 Presentation to Board of Education August 5, 2020 Bill MacDonald, Ed. D. Marty Flowers Associate Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, Elementary Education and Secondary Education and 1 Educational Services Educational Services

Distance Learning in RUSD Framing An Unprecedented Crisis Distance Learning Spring 2020 What We Have Learned Teacher and Parent Feedback Senate Bill 98 Research Based Best Practices Distance Learning Workgroups Distance Learning 2020-21 Elementary Secondary Special Education Targeted Student Groups 2

An Unprecedented Crisis To prevent the spread of COVID-19 RUSD announced school closures on Friday, March 13, 2020. On March 19, 2020, RUSD teachers launched Distance Learning, transitioning their instruction online in a heroic effort to continue teaching and learning during the crisis. When school closures were extended, RUSD engaged in three days of professional development, articulation, and collaborative planning on April 13, 14, and 15 to prepare teachers to potentially finish the year in distance learning. On April 16, Distance Learning was relaunched with specific instructional recommendations and a better understanding of best practices. 3

An Unprecedented Crisis School closures were ultimately extended to the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in late June, on July 8th, 2020, the RUSD Board voted to begin the 2020-21 school year in a hybrid, partial students in school model. On July 17th, the Governor ordered that counties on the California COVID- 19 County Monitoring List, such as Placer County, must be off the watch list for 14 days prior to reopening in person for school. As a result, the Rocklin Unified School District will open the 2020-21 school year in Distance Learning. 4

What We Have Learned - Surveys Parent and Teacher Survey Results (DL1.0/2.0) - 4015 parents / 431 staff 42% of parents very 84% of parents All agreed that satisfied or satisfied stated that students motivation was the with distance were independent greatest factor on learning. 70%+ of the time. student learning. What worked: 60% of teachers 67% of teachers LMS, video lessons, were very satisfied stated that students online activities, or satisfied with were independent and small group distance learning. 70%+ of the time. instruction. 5

What We Have Learned - Senate Bill 98 SB 98 Requirement for Distance Learning When offering distance learning, school districts must ensure the following: ● A quality, challenging content aligned to grade level standards equivalent to in- person instruction. ● Daily live interaction between certificated employees and students. ● Regular assessment, feedback, and grades for students. ● Special education, related services, and accommodations required by an individualized education program. ● Designated and integrated instruction in English language development. ● Minimum daily minutes of 180 minutes for Kindergarten, 230 minutes for grades 1- 3, and 240 minutes for grades 4-12. ● Daily participation/attendance must be documented for each student on each school day. 6

What We Have Learned - Research In a short period of time, a great deal of research, guidance, and recommendations have been shared with school districts. The RUSD team reviewed the following research: Supporting Learning in the COVID-19 Context (PACE) Stronger Together (CDE) Distance Learning Considerations (CDE) Addressing Unfinished Learning After COVID-19 (Council of Great City Schools) Priority Instructional Content (Student Achievement Partners) 7

Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) is an independent, non-partisan research center led by faculty directors at Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of California Davis, the University of California Los Angeles, and the University of California Berkeley. PACE bridges the gap between research, policy, and practice. RECOMMENDATIONS TO DISTRICT LEADERSHIP: ❏ Conduct an after-action review and needs assessment. ❏ Set instructional priorities and help develop viable curricula. ❏ Develop and communicate clear roles and expectations. ❏ Support educator well-being and professional learning. ❏ Reconceptualize educator roles and team structures. ❏ Assess student well-being and develop systems to respond to greater student needs. 8

Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) is an independent, non-partisan research center led by faculty directors at Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of California Davis, the University of California Los Angeles, and the University of California Berkeley. PACE bridges the gap between research, policy, and practice. RECOMMENDATIONS TO EDUCATORS: ❏ Prioritize interaction and collaboration in synchronous learning opportunities. ❏ Conduct regular formative assessments and provide prompt feedback to students and families. ❏ Provide regular, individualized contact for each student. ❏ Focus on accelerating learning of grade-level content. 9

What We Have Learned - Workgroups Considering the feedback and research and anticipating reopening, the following workgroups (or “Summer Sandboxes”) were convened around important topics: Social-Emotional Health & Safety Equity Toolkit Learning Toolkit (w. PBIS) (Amanda Bannister & Ann Feliz) (Melanie Patterson) (Lisa Phillips) Learning Loss / Distance Learning 20- Distance Learning 20- Initial Assessment 21 (TK-6) 21 (7-12) ( Ann Feliz & Kaili Bray) (Bill MacDonald & Kaili Bray) (Scott Collins & Marty Flowers) Special Education: Special Education: English Learner RUSD Best Practices IEP Requirements (TK-6) (Stacy Barsdale & Beth Davidson) (Stacy Barsdale & Beth Davidson) (Sarah Soares) 10

Distance Learning 20-21 - Elementary Who: 25 Participants - TK-6 Teachers, Special Educators, Instructional Coaches, Principals, Program Specialists, and District Administrators. When: Summer 2020 What: Identify best practices and provide recommendations for the development of a Distance Learning 20-21 teacher resource and professional development. Guiding Questions: What did we learn from distance learning in the spring? What worked? ○ What didn’t? ○ What are best practices for distance learning? How will be they be incorporated in the next iteration of distancing learning - version 20-21? ○ What additional training will be provided to teachers to support them in implementing Distance Learning 20-21? 11

Distance Learning 20-21 - Elementary Building Relationships/Maintaining Student Engagement #1 The focus of the first several #2 Daily live interactions with weeks should be on developing a students and parents are necessary sense of class community and to engage, encourage, inspire, norms for engagement and educate, and inform. participation. #4 Isolation and exposure to #3 Timely and regular stressors related to COVID-19 feedback should be provided not have increased student social- only to students but also to families, emotional needs. Lessons and who are critical partners. activities should be intentional about addressing this need. 12

The SEL Toolkit 13

Distance Learning 20-21 - Elementary Curriculum and Instruction #2 Focus on accelerating learning #1 Identify instructional priorities of grade-level content. for the 2020-21 school year - Resist remediating, rather emphasize essential standards for scaffold grade level the current grade level. standards as needed. #3 During synchronous time, #4 Provide multiple modalities prioritize 1:1 interactions, small and opportunities for students to group instruction, and student interact and respond. collaboration. Flip the classroom. Use UDL for DL. 14

Universal Design for Distance Learning 15

Distance Learning 20-21 - Elementary Assessment / Demonstration of Learning #1 Quickly assess learning loss, #2 Provide regular and timely identify standards needing support, feedback/grades to and provide scaffolding support and students on live and additional instruction independent work and class as required. participation. #3 Provide multiple #4 Create and solicit non- opportunities for students to traditional demonstrations of demonstrate learning: live, digital learning such as the creation of quizzes/assessments, project-based, learning “artifacts”: videos, posters, self-scored rubrics. engineering projects, blogs, etc. 16

The Assessment Toolkit TK-3rd K-2nd Online Assessments Letters & Sounds Reading Fluency & Phonemic Awareness Comprehension Phonics (BPST) Sight Words Grade Level Guidance 2nd-6th Freckle Assessment & Adaptive Practice ELA Reading ● ELA (3rd-6th+) Math (3rd+) ● Math (1st-6th+) 17

“When working online, you have to treat communication like air; you have to pump it through the system.” 18

Distance Learning 20-21 - Elementary Communication and Support for Students & Parents #1 Frontload parents with #2 Train students and parents on information including daily the selected LMS and digital tools schedules, expectations for online the class will utilize. Keep it simple learning, and methods of and consistent. ongoing communication. # 4 Establish clear roles and #3 Create a consistent routine and boundaries for parents. Engage schedule so that parents and them as partners/coaches to students know what to expect. support their child’s learning at home. 19