Homework extension granted
Schools get extra time for reopening plans
Massachusetts schools will now have until Aug. 14 to submit finalized versions of reopening plans, a fourday extension from the previous deadline set by the state Department of Education.
A memo to school superintendents issued by Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley on Thursday said 516 preliminary reopening plans have been reviewed by the department thus far with several trends emerging.
Riley asked districts to include alternate modes of transportation and adjustments to boarding, seating, pick-ups and drop-offs to be included in final reopening plans, according to the memo.
The plans must also include an analysis of facilities that determine how social distancing protocols can be met and how alternate or exterior space can be used to accommodate students and staff.
Final plans need to provide for clear, streamlined communication between schools and families along with procedures to track remote learning, attendance, participation and grading, Riley wrote.
This should include technology and internet access as well.
Prioritizing high-needs students, such as those with disabilities and English language learners, for in-person instruction will need to be part of final plans.
Riley said districts cannot include lunch and recess as instructional time, as some plans did, and schools must account for 170 days of instruction for the 2020-2021 school year.
For districts that will have remote learning, a system of distribution of schedules and materials, along with time built into the year for training on remote learning is encouraged, according to Riley.
Several Massachusetts school districts, such as
Somerville and Brockton, have jumped the gun and announced a remote start to the year.
In Boston, a hybrid model is still on the table, despite widespread criticism from teachers and parents.