Equity

Equitable Broadband Access:

Households earning less than $30,000 a year: 44% of students with no broadband access
Households earning a Middle Income: 19% of students with no broadband access
Households earning more than $100,000 a year: 6% of students with no broadband access

-2019 Report: Pew Research Center

Guidance in Equity:

Broadband Access

Challenges:

1. Lack of Access to Reliable, High Speed Internet 2. Lack of Cellular Service. 3. Low income, students of color, students with disabilities, and English Language Learners lack accessibility. 4. Homeless lack access in shelters, motels, etc. 5. Community Establishment remain closed. 6. Families with unpaid bills cannot access free/discounted offers. 7. Families lack social security numbers, and/or credit to receive access.

Considerations:

Surveys- Need to Know (1. Type of Access, 2. Amount of Access, 3. Speed of Access)
Expansion of Access- Use of Grant Money for purchase in homes with filtering and purchase of hotspots (can borrow from school media centers). Partner with internet providers. Use of buses or remote internet access (shipping containers, balloons, parking lots, etc.) Use of community centers, fire departments, local businesses (McDonald's, Starbucks, Grocery Stores, etc.) Gain Community buy-in, Lobby Government (Broadband needs to be similar to a utility)
Alternative Access: Means of Delivery (TV, Podcast, Live Streaming, Recordings, Radio, Packets-Digital or Paper, Partner with Community Organizations, Thumb Drives, Mail, Pre-loaded Devices).
IT Services- Increase in Staffing, Security, Safety, Filtering, Vendor Contracts, Maintenance.

Device Access

Challenges:

1. Inconsistent Access to Devices (Laptops, Phones, Tablets, Gaming Systems, Computers)2. Lack of devices for each school age family member.3. Devices geared toward grade levels.4. Lack of devices for low-income families.

Considerations:

Surveys- Survey families to gain knowledge of device assets. Must reach 100% of the households in your district (non-negotiable)
Moving to 1:1- Inventory of Technological means in district. Leverage of grants and community donations. Partnerships with private sector. Discussions with local philanthropic organizations.
IT Services- Increase in Staffing, Security, Safety, Filtering, Vendor Contracts, Maintenance. LEA Technology Planning. Need of keyboards, microphones, stylus, hearing, etc. Hardware procurement. Protection cases. Insurance programs, Help Desks, Parent Training

Continuity of Education

Challenges:

1. How to provide an equitable education.2. Meeting student needs, including students with disabilities and English Language Learners.3. Choice of Learning Management Systems4. Student Groupings5. Synchronous, Asynchronous, or both6. Getting materials in Children’s hands

Considerations:

Methods of Learning- Provide samples of student/teacher day. Give thought to family groupings and overall regrouping if needed. Offer wide varieties of vetted materials and resources aligned to standards. Ensure fit to overall plan. Provide accessibility of curricula delivered. Prioritize curriculum goals (What NEEDS to be learned/ Non-negotiables). Get comfortable giving control to students. Have students produce tangible products using digital tools. Personalized learning as the great equalizer.
Online Platforms- Google, Google classroom, Google suite, Google Hangout, Google Meet, Facebook, Microsoft one note Microsoft,( SEQTA, education Perfect), Google Drive/Microsoft Teams, Moodle, Zoom, Seesaw, ManageBac, Ed Dojo, EdModo, https://mediawijs.be/tools, Youtube, youtube, ebscohost, progrentis, PhET, Screencastify, RAZ Kids, IXL, Imagine Learning
Material Distribution/Pick-up- Pick-up/drop-off, remote locations, mail, transportation options, thumb drives, return of materials procedures.
Family Support- Written/Video supplements, Written/Video Training, Coordination to assist, revise and coordinate and share resources. Fostering a positive virtual classroom climate where all students feel welcomed and engaged.
Special Education-Review supports, services, and specially designed instruction in each student's IEP. Determine how IEP can be implemented in a remote or hybrid learning environment.

Professional Development

Challenges:

1. Teachers developing distance learning for the first time2. Needed technical support and professional development3. Management of online learning platforms, websites, and resources.4. Adaptations of lessons.5. Time and support for instructional planning6. Provision of special education supports and services in a remote or hybrid learning environment.

Considerations:

Mapping Teacher Assets- Seek to understand teacher comfort level and areas where they need support through surveys or other means. Find comfort level of learning platforms used and different types of resources already being utilized in classrooms/departments. Survey teacher home access to devices and reliable internet.
Providing for Teachers- Invest in Coaching. Consider one learning management platform across the district or across grade levels. Develop catalogs of high quality educational resources aligned to standards. Provide training for platforms (eg. Google Suite level I Certification, Seesaw, Canvas, Schoology, etc.). Use teacher experts for in house training. Develop leadership capacity. Provide voluntary workshops based on individual needs Provide a wide variety of educational resources (free, district provided curricula, subscriptions, pilots, etc.). Develop continuity guide aligned by grade level/content area.

Student Progress

Challenges:

1. Grading procedures2. Make-up work3. Assessments4. Data Collection5. Mandated Testing6. IEP Goal Progress Monitoring7. Regression of Students with Disabilities 8. Possible need for Compensatory Education for Students with Disabilities

Considerations:

Assessment Alternatives- Give students multiple opportunities to show readiness with traditional/nontraditional measures. Use of written/digital work, project based learning, capstone projects, exams. Tailor to student needs.
Grading Equity- Do not penalize families without equitable internet access, suffering from family loss, homeless situations, or extended illness. Consider standard based grading while incorporating student career portfolios to encapsulate true learning experiences. Be flexible in work that is missed by students for a variety of reasons.
Communication- Create a model for communication (especially in multiple languages). Be clear and concise in all communications. Use of multiple social media platforms that are used by adults and students.
Diagnostics- Determine the learning needs of all students. Pay specific attention to under-served groups.
IEP Meetings-Need to review each student to consider:

Regression/Recoupment
Interruption of services
Missed opportunity for critical point of instruction
Not making consistent progress on IEP goals
Services not delivered during continuity of education plan, including missed related services sessions
Determine if compensatory education and/or additional supplementary aids/services are needed
Consult with solicitor to determine proper documentation (IEP revision and/or NOREP)

IEP Goals-Determine if and how the IEP goals can be progress monitored in a remote or hybrid learning environment. If the IEP goal cannot be monitored remotely, communicate with parent/guardian and other members of IEP team to determine how to proceed.
Regression/Recoupment Checks-Assess students for regression the first week of instruction. Determine a baseline (as close to March 13th as possible). For students who showed regression greater than 20%, assess for recoupment the sixth week of instruction.

Student Support

Challenges:

1. Schools will need to change the way they provide instruction and services.2. IDEA and FAPE do not disappear when buildings close3. Need for specialized hardware and/or assistive technology for distance learning4. Needs for related services (Speech and language, physical therapy, psychology services, etc.)5. English learners requiring support in language acquisition and academic content.6. Widened gap between schools and English learners along with families.

Considerations:

Provide Information About Accessibility- Check out your learning platforms and disseminate information about accessibility features to staff and families. Support staff on adjusting instruction and collaboration between special education and general education to support students. Resources for Families- Hold 504 and IEP meetings remotely as needed with plans to deliver services once students return. Provide online resources as they are available and document all services that students with disabilities miss to inform compensatory services when students return. Offer newsletters including webinars and video resources available. Consider creating a website for families of students with disabilities with home learning activities/ideas, along with resources available. Training for Families- Training to support family needs. Training in learning platforms. Alternative Ways to Provide Services- Engage in teletherapy. Use of digital task cards. Use of Zoom or other platforms for one to one and group therapies. Have students produce tangible products using digital tools. Explain in Multiple Languages- Provide information in a language that families understand. Allow access to homework help in the form of help desks in multiple languages. Consider webpage options in native languages with multiple resources or translation devices. Translation Services- Consider staff who can provide translations. Use of learning platforms that will automatically translate materials. Consider translation hotlines or commercial services. Check out apps that can offer translations. Protect Student Privacy- Guidelines about approved platforms. Online security and filtering systems. Prohibiting of sharing student images and videos. General Student Support- Follow-up on no shows, transportation/ home visits. Get comfortable giving control to students. Have students produce tangible products using digital tools. Sophisticated grouping and regrouping, Support (ill families, food insecurity, job loss, death). Understand screen time is very social for kids.
Assistive Technology-Provision of assistive technology services, including consultations or evaluations. Facilitation of short-term loans of assistive technology tools through the Intermediate Unit 1, PaTTAN, software companies, etc.

Social and Emotional Supports

Challenges:

1. Closures make it difficult to maintain relationships, which take a toll on social and emotional well-being.2. Greater social/emotional needs for children of color and low income backgrounds.3. Needs of students with direct health impacts and family job loss.4. Needs of student with disabilities, homelessness, foster care, and/or abuse/neglect.5. Teacher support and training for students in vulnerable populations.6. Social/emotional support for teachers.

Considerations:

Connect with Vulnerable Students- Use homeless and foster liaisons to identify and service students, and maintain relationships. Consider check in forms to assess health, safety, and basic needs of students. Use of social media to make connections.
Time for Connection- Provide time for personal connections teach to student and student to student. Use innovative ways to check in on students (blogs, social media, assignments, etc.). Use of social/emotional programs.
Family Guidance- Communicate about mental health resources available. Provide links that are able to support families. Guidance in multiple languages.
Alternative Ways to Provide Services- Engage in teletherapy. Use of digital task cards. Use of Zoom or other platforms for one to one and group therapies. Have students produce tangible products using digital tools.

Communication

Challenges:

1. Helping families make connections2. Support of academic/non-academic needs and concerns3. Ensure needs are met4. Broadcasting necessary information5. Streamlining/coordinating information6. How to access services7. Language barriers for students and families who are English Language Learners.

Considerations:

Plan of Communication- Develop a clear and accessible communication plan to engage all stakeholder (Phone, email, text messaging, website, one call, student management systems). Use of social media platforms (ones preferred by adults-Facebook, Twitter, etc., and ones preferred by students- Instagram, Spapchat, etc.). Consider language needs. Provide written communication in the home language of the student and/or family. Use of help centers, online assistance, and translation services. Release of weekly/monthly updates in the form of blogs, video, newsletters.
Two-Way Communication- Establish communication between school leaders and teachers to students and families. Decide how and when communications are to happen. Establish office hours for virtual learning. Use of video chat such as Zoom, Google hangouts, Google Meet, etc. Use of YouTube/Facebook live events. Use of calling services (Google Voice, Skype, etc.).

When we go back to school…

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