MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND UNITED TEACHERS OF RICHMOND (CTA/NEA) School Closure Related to Coronavirus-19/COVID-19 March 27th, 2020 The West Contra Costa Unified School District ("District", “WCCUSD”) and United Teachers of Richmond ("Association", “UTR”) enter this Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") regarding the school closure related to COVID-19. The Parties recognize there is a need to close schools (“emergency school closure”) and move to an online distance learning program to allow for social distancing as recommended by public health officials in order to prevent the spread of illness arising from the coronavirus during the 2019-20 school year. 1. Unit members will be working from home during the emergency school closure. 2. Unit members’ compensation and benefits shall not be reduced as a result of the emergency school closure for the full duration. 3. If a bargaining unit member is ill, the bargaining unit member can use sick leave. If the employee exhausts their sick leave they will be placed on Extended Sick Leave for up to 100 days (per school year) with full pay and benefits. 4. For distance learning, the attached district working documents to take effect the week of April 13 shall serve as guidelines for the distance learning model. The parties recognize distance learning as a model that will require flexibility in scheduling. In most cases, employees will complete their distance learning responsibilities during the hours defined in the attached documents to take effect the week of April 13th. The parties also agree that at times, employees will need to complete distance learning work using a flexible schedule. 5. The coursework provided to students shall have the intention of promoting continuity of learning while students are not in school. This will include enrichment, intervention and/or exposure to new material. The pace of instruction shall be at the discretion of the teacher based on the needs of their students. The overarching goal is that current seniors are able to meet graduation requirements and underclass students will be able to meet future requirements that that students are be able to graduate and accumulate credits, meet A-G requirements and fulfill other secondary obligations, members may be required to administer some type of grading in agreement with district leadership. 6. The parties agree to meet regularly and weekly to address implementing guidance from the California Department of Education as well as the Federal Department of Education in order to provide equitable and appropriate education for our students with special needs. 7. For Special Education the attached documents (to take effect the week of April 13th) shall serve as working guidelines for the distance learning model. Both parties agree that circumstances for special education are constantly changing and will continue to work in collaboration to adapt the plan according to the needs or new guidelines by State or Federal agencies. Both parties agree that whenever there needs to be changes they will come together to discuss. 8. Evaluations shall be paused (unless final classroom observation has already taken place) for the duration of any school closure (modified or otherwise). It is understood that teachers may be developing lessons to be delivered via a new modality. Teachers shall not be evaluated based on the “quality” of those lessons or instruction during this crisis. 9. The district shall provide training on digital learning through online platforms as availability allows. 10. The District shall submit a “J-13A waiver material decrease request”, and/or any other waiver for which the District may be eligible, to the California Department of Education (“CDE”) in order to mitigate the loss of ADA funding. In the event the State of California deems alternative requirements for schools in response to COVID-19, the parties agree to immediately initiate negotiations on the impacts. 11. Monday, April 13th 2020 will be a half day scheduled staff development day and shall have a modified agenda to allow for at least half of the time for teacher driven classroom preparation. This will all be done online and from home. 12. Unit members shall not be required to make up adjunct or committee assignments missed as a result of the emergency school closure. Adjunct Duty, district and/or site committees scheduled during the closure are cancelled and will not be rescheduled with exception of site SSC and site ITL teams who will meet virtually once a month and possibly other essential groups as agreed upon by teachers and administration, and if deemed necessary by a review by District and UTR. 13. Unit members shall not be required to make up the 12 Hours of Required Self-Directed Professional Development as they will make a strong effort to participate in distance learning and use of digital tools professional development necessary during the school closure. 14. Long Term Substitutes in teaching positions will be compensated and benefits shall not be reduced as a result of the emergency school closure for the full duration. 15. Due to the impact of this work during school closures on classroom teachers and students, WCCUSD commits to working with UTR to develop the grading policy impacting the last grading cycle. 16. In the event the State of California deems alternative requirements for schools in response to COVID-19, the parties agree to immediately initiate negotiations on the impacts. 17. The Parties understand the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic situation is very fluid and mutually agree to review the provisions of the MOU, as necessary and if changes come from county, state, or federal offices. 18. Unit members are expected to remain available to return to the worksite during working hours if necessary. The District will provide unit members a 48-hour notice of the need to return to the worksite when necessary as authorized by the District Office in consultation with UTR. In the event special circumstances prevent an employee from attending the training or any on campus event, the employee shall make special arrangements with their site administrator or supervisor. 19. This MOU resolves the negotiable effects of school closures due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The District and/or Association reserve the right to negotiate any additional impacts and/or additional school closures in the 2019-20 school year. This MOU shall expire on June 30, 2020 or at the conclusion of this coronavirus crisis but may be extended by mutual written agreement. The undersigned represent that they are authorized to execute this MOU. For the District: For the Association: Tony Wold, WCCUSD Demetrio Gonzalez, UTR Appendixes Special Education and Section 504 Supports During School Closure Week of March 30-April 6 Service Planning All Case Managers and Related Service Providers will reach out to families to discuss the supports and services feasible based on current IEP goals and services and will schedule services to start during the week of April 13. Case managers will provide a copy of the standard PWN or direct the parent to the WCCUSD website for this information. If parents indicate that they do not want services at this time or are not available for services please document this information. If access is a barrier to providing services contact the Program Specialist for support. Continue to provide resources for educational opportunity guidance. Because IEP goals and services are by nature individualized and take into account the available services that are available at the time of the plan writing, some elements of the student’s IEP may not be possible to achieve in the current public health crisis. To the extent possible, we will provide appropriate services. No IEPs will be held to modify the services on the IEP. Access Survey Case managers will contact families to determine access needs ● Do you have access to an online device for all of your students at home/workspace? ● Do you have access to wifi in your home/workspace? ● Do you have materials for learning such as: Pencils, Paper, Art Supplies etc ● Do you have access to a television? ● Do you have access to a telephone? ● Do you need any specialized equipment that is part of your student’s IEP? Professional Development ● HIPPA/FERPA and remote services ● Remote IEP Meeting Guidelines ● SEIS Service Tracker Equipment Management/Distribution Parents and families will need materials and supplies to provide instruction to students who require instruction beyond online lessons. Material and supply distribution will be coordinated by principals/special education departments in communication with teachers regarding needed supplies for lessons. Designated times will be posted and communicated for parents/guardians to pick up supplies. Those who are unable to pick up supplies will have supplies delivered to their homes or through regional stations similar to food distribution centers. Case managers will reach out to their special education director to set up alternative ways to arrange for material distribution. Materials and supplies included AAC devices, PECS books, low incidence equipment, specialized technology, and other materials and equipment indicated in a student’s IEP. Notice to parents with PWN Components The District will not hold IEPs to negotiate FAPE during this school closure. The District will post a notice to parents/guardians on the district website. This letter contains the components of a Prior Written Notice (PWN) describing how the service delivery will change during the school closure. IEP meetings will not be held during this planning time. Beginning the Week of April 13 Self Contained Classroom Programs (MMSN and ESN) Self Contained Classroom (SCC) teachers grades PreK-Transition will provide educational opportunities and instruction related to IEP goals to the same extent as general education teachers through distance learning. Special education teachers will work with the school principal to ensure the students with IEPs are provided the same type of instruction as the general education teachers at the school site when feasible. Materials and supplies that are required for activities will be distributed to families upon request to the extent possible. Resource Specialist Program (RSP), Mild/Moderate Support Needs (MMSN) supplemental instructional programs, Full Inclusion Programs Itinerant Instruction will be provided remotely to support the learning needs of students with IEPs that require supplemental Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI). These special education teachers will support the general education teachers by helping to modify or accommodate the work to students' individual needs as well as provide consultation regarding needed accommodations or supports and may also provide additional learning resources. Teachers should check in with students/families at least twice weekly. Teachers will log the supports provided on SEIS to ensure that the supports provided during this time are captured for further review by the IEP team. Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists, School Psychologists, Itinerant Specialized Teachers, APE teachers, School Nurses and ERMHS Providers Related Service Providers will provide IEP related services using distance learning to provide services to the greatest extent possible when feasible. This may include phone calls, videos, teletherapy for those authorized, packets, and/or resources with consultation. Related service providers will log all services and attempts to communicate about services on SEIS Service Tracker during the school closure to ensure that supports provided during this time are captured for further review by the IEP team. General Education Teacher General education teachers will need to collaborate with the special education teachers to help determine modifications and accommodations. Case managers will reach out to arrange this communication, general education and special education teachers should feel free to work together in planning. Special Education and 504 Accommodations We will all be responsible to ensure that we are being flexible during this time in regard to accommodating individual student learning needs. With the change in working conditions for our students and staff we all need to reconsider how accommodations will be identified, and provided. We must remember that videos require closed captioning in order to allow all students to access. A great way to start this is by reaching out to students and parents to hear what hurdles they are encountering. Special Education Assessments WCCUSD will not conduct any assessments remotely during school closure. This includes Triennials, Initials and 504 assessments that are pending. No new assessments will be started. Most standardized tests are not normed based on online or remote testing. Timelines are frozen during this school closure time. IEP Meetings With parent permission we will hold some IEP meetings when feasible using Zoom or Google Hangout meetings. We will not hold triennials that require assessments to be completed and we will not hold IEPs if parents opt out of using Zoom or Google Hangout. We will not hold meetings unless we can assure that all IEP team members are available. Logging Supports/Services During school closure all services and supports provided to students with IEPs must be entered into SEIS Service Tracker. This will not change the need to enter billable services to the SBR system, but will be used solely for the purpose of tracking the support provided during this time. Helplines In addition to the support case managers and service providers will provide to students and families, Support Helplines will be set up for families who are needing help with new duties as home teachers. Helplines could provide supports that include: ● ● ● ● ● Consulting with students/parents Providing links to Social Stories Providing video links for strategies and tools to use at home Providing emergency numbers Providing community resource lists The following is a chart of the helplines: Helpline: Call or Text Administrator/ Dispatch Providers Phone Number Behavior Support Helpline Rachel Avanessian Perla Ponce School Psychologists (510) 307-4640 Educationally Related Jodi Couick Mental Health Support Helpline School Psychologists/ ERMHS team Academic Support Strategies Helpline: Sonja NeelyJohnson Patricia Alberto Program Specialists (510) 307-4641 Assistive Technology and AAC Helpline Rachel Avanessian Arely Gonzalez Burgos WATR (510) 307-4524 Medical Related IEP Support Helpline Sonja NeelyJohnson Jill Brickner (Eng) Stephanie Consuelo Zermeno (Span) (510) 307-4646 (510) 231-0947 Section 504 Question Helpline for Staff Darlene Almeida Darlene Almeida (510) 629-6291 Family Community Support Network for Students with Disabilities Helpline Nick Berger Patricia Alberto Jeanine Bishop Patricia Alberto English(510) 307-4669 Spanish (510) 307-4631 (510) 915-2654 WCCUSD Distance Learning Instructional Plan and Expectations Phase 2 Our distance learning program is one that is new and it is also one that has been forced upon us by the current health situation. This means that, more than ever, we must remember that well rounded students are also artistic, athletic, mentally strong and socially nourished. We must continue to ensure that the arts, physical fitness, a healthy mind and connection to a positive social community are all components of the program we offer to students. What is good for students is good for adults so these same qualities of mental, physical, social and artistic health need to be present in our adult community as well. We recognize that, during this closure, students will have different abilities to engage in distance learning. Factors such as home internet access, the need to care for younger siblings or to work to support their family, will impact a student’s ability to engage in the learning. No student shall be penalized for these forces beyond their control. We have intentionally designed this distance learning program to be flexible and to allow students multiple ways and opportunities to engage in the learning. We are all learning together. Tethering ourselves around our Theory of Action will create a powerful distance learning community to raise strong children. We will use this time to truly think about how we can impact our system so that when we finally do come back to our physical classrooms, we are changed for the better, our minds a bit blown from what we have just endured and ready to lean into the next phase of learning in the world. Theory of Action: ● If we personalize learning for students, then we will give all students what they need when they need it. ● If we allow asynchronous opportunities, all students will have the time and space they need to master what they are asked to learn. ● If we focus on mastery, all students and all teachers will clearly understand their students' learning and make the needed adjustments. ● If we foster deeper learning experiences, all students will be engaged, challenged and empowered and meet the core competencies of the graduate profile. Distance learning means instruction in which the student and instructor are in different locations. This may include interacting through the use of computer and communications technology, as well as delivering instruction and check-in time with their teacher. Distance learning may include video or audio instruction in which the primary mode of communication between the student and instructor is on-line interaction, instructional television, video, telecourses, or other instruction that relies on computer or communications technology. It may also include the use of print materials incorporating assignments that are the subject of written or oral feedback. While the delivery of instruction will be different, the lesson design still includes: 1. Learning Target/Objective/Learning Intention What do I want students to learn? By When? Provide a daily checklist of daily learning (what do students need to master daily?) 2. Instruction/Prompt Provide written, verbal, or video instruction to students to assist them in meeting the learning objective 3. Independent Practice Provide materials/resources for students to practice in order to achieve mastery 4. Demonstration of Learning/Feedback Provide a means (question, essay, picture, artifact, etc.) for students to show what they have learned. This should be submitted/uploaded by the student or observed by the teacher. We trust our leaders to support our teachers to take risks, to grow and to fail and to help them to get back up. We have the same trust in our teachers as they now engage students through distance learning. The following expectations and resources have been established to provide guidance for teachers so that there is a standard distance learning practice across WCCUSD during school closures. Updates may need to be made to this document as our journey in distance learning progresses. It will be revisited as needed. Preschool Preschool/Pre-K students will be supported in learning through digital platforms. Learning experiences are communicated by teachers to parents and caregivers. Students ● ● ● Digital assignments through e-Learning platforms, using a variety of tools Communicate with teachers through parents and seek assistance as needed Experience daily reading for at least 20 minutes independently or with adults Parents/Guardians ● ● Communicate with classroom teacher weekly Support students to complete work assigned by teachers Teachers ● ● Connect with families weekly Curate, develop, and provide distance learning assignments for students through the digital learning platforms and tools Interact with students at least 100 minutes each week Record any lessons and make them available to parents/guardians Connect with a site administrator for a maximum of 60 minutes ● ● ● weekly. The structure will be created in collaboration between the teacher(s) and site administrator. Administrators ● ● ● ● ● Ensure all students have access to essential distance learning devices Ensure teachers have access and training in using digital tools, materials, and resources Be available to support teachers and families throughout the school day. Support access to regular and on demand professional development for teachers with distance learning tools/resources. Work one-on-one to support teachers and connect with them individually Elementary TK-1st Grade TK, K and 1st grade students will engage in distance learning through different formats and platforms. Not all TK/K/1st grade students have district-issued Chromebooks, therefore learning may occur through paper packets or online. For students who do not have Chromebooks, the learning will be treated similar to traditional independent study, with completed packets and/or engagement. Teachers may determine the platform for mastery for each student after assessing family resources and student needs. WCCUSD will continue to pursue acquiring Chromebooks for the remainder of students in need. Students ● ● ● ● ● Complete packets/work on a weekly basis Communicate with teachers and seek assistance as needed Read at least 30 minutes daily on their own and complete a Reading Log; younger readers may be read to, or engage with audio books Engage in independent writing on a daily basis on their own Participate in some type of daily physical activity on their own Parents/Guardians ● ● Communicate with classroom teacher weekly Support students to complete packets/work assigned by teachers Teachers ● ● Connect with families and site administrator on a weekly basis Curate, develop, and provide distance learning packets/work with standards and/or goals for students Connect with a site administrator for a maximum of 60 minutes each week using a structure created in collaboration between the teacher(s) and site administrator. ● Administrators ● ● Ensure all students have access to essential distance learning paper packets/work Ensure teachers have access and training for essential tools, materials, and resources. ● ● ● Be available to support teachers and families throughout the school day. Provide regular and on demand professional development for teachers with distance learning tools/resources. Work one-on-one to support teachers and connect with them individually Elementary 2nd-6th Grade Instruction WCCUSD students in grades 2-12 have a district-issued Chromebook to use for Distance Learning. Total Instructional Time: 3 hours 30 minutes daily Total Preparation Time: 2 hours daily Total Day: 5 hours 30 minutes Teachers will create a daily schedule that meets the time expectations for the grade level and have a completion time no later than 4 PM each day. We understand there has to be flexibility to educators and families throughout this process. Teachers will work collaboratively with grade level peers to ensure that instruction received across the grade level is consistent for all students. Departmentalization of content areas at grade levels to share workload is encouraged in a distant learning scenario. The sample daily schedule below is a visual for how time can be structured throughout the day. Area Time Frequency Guidance and Suggested Resources Prep Time As needed Teachers prepare lessons/technology: 120 Minutes Daily 5X Weekly Post assignments on Digital Learning Platform (Google Classroom or Seesaw) Prepare Zoom or Google Hangouts Lessons Collaborate with grade level team Contact families and students Reading (ELA) Students work on reading assignments for 30 minutes. Teachers provide feedback and assist students as needed 2X Weekly+ Phonics: Units of Study Planning Resources www.lalilo.com https://www.teachyourmonstertore ad.com/ https://www.starfall.com/h/ Reading: Units of Study Planning Resources www.getepic.com https://rivet.area120.com/ https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/ https://www.storylineonline.net/ https://wccusd.follettdestiny.com/ Destiny Discover & Sora ebooks Audiobooks Reading Comprehension: https://www.readworks.org/ https://www.commonlit.org/ Writing (ELA Students work on writing assignments for 30 minutes. Teachers provide feedback and assist students as needed 2X Weekly+ Create writing assignments in line with curriculum/standards to digital learning platform Provide feedback and assistance. https://info.flipgrid.com/ Units of Study Planning Resources Mathematics Students work on math assignments for 30 minutes. Teachers provide feedback and assist students as needed 2X Weekly+ https://www.zearn.org/ https://www.khanacademy.org/ MyMath/McGraw Hill in Clever Big Ideas Math for 6th Social Studies Students work on social studies assignments for 30 minutes. Teachers provide feedback and assist students as needed 1X Weekly+ https://web.seesaw.me/ Crash Course Kids Studies Weekly Virtual Exhibits https://www.historyforkids.net/ Digital Citizenship Science Students work on science assignments for 30 minutes. Teachers provide feedback and assist students as needed 1X Weekly+ 1X Integrated into another lesson Physical Education/ VAPA Students work on PE/VAPA assignments for 30 minutes. Teachers provide feedback and assist students as needed 2X Weekly+ https://app.gonoodle.com/ PlayWorks - Play at Home Arts for Kids Hub Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems https://mysteryscience.com/ (Mini Lessons) Crash Course Kids Virtual Field Trips Example Schedule for Teaching Content Content Reading Writing Mathematics Social Studies Monday Wednesda Tuesday y Thursday Friday Science VAPA P.E. PREP Elementary 2nd-6th Grade Expectations Students ● ● ● ● Parents/Guardians ● ● ● Instructional Coaches ● ● ● VAPA, Music, and PE Teachers ● ● ● ● Administrators ● ● ● ● ● Log into digital learning platform daily Complete and submit eLearning lessons and assignments/assessments as required by teacher Communicate with teacher(s) and seek assistance as needed Read on a daily basis for at least 30 minutes on their own Communicate with classroom teachers weekly through teacher’s platform of choice Support students to complete work assigned by teachers through the digital platform Support students to read and write daily Curate, develop, and provide distance learning tools/resources for teachers Provide regular and on demand professional development for teachers with distance learning tools/resources Be available to support teachers with using distance learning tools/resources throughout the regular school day Curate, develop, and provide distance learning tools/resources for teachers in the areas of physical education, music, and visual and performing arts Add as a co-teachers to Google Classrooms in order to upload lessons and confirm student participation in VAPA/PE activities Collaborate with various site grade level teachers to help upload lessons as necessary Grade VAPA/Music/PE assignments as necessary in Google Classroom Ensure all students have access to essential distance learning materials Ensure teachers have access and training for essential distance learning platforms, tools, materials, and resources Be available to support teachers and families throughout the school day Arrange Google Hangouts/Zoom/Meet for staff throughout the week to provide support Work one-on-one to support teachers with the use of digital learning tools Long Term Substitute Teachers ● ● Prep Teachers ● ● Assigned to a teaching position: Same responsibilities as classroom teachers Assigned to a site but not a specific classroom: Support teachers by covering classes if they are not able to teach or support the site administrator in other assigned responsibilities Same responsibilities as classroom teachers, developing lessons to support the classroom teachers they cover or work with More responsibilities may be assigned by site administration Secondary High School Middle School Prep Time: 120 Minutes Prep for distance learning Teaching: 30 Minutes per class/period/day According to the high school schedule Provide Direct lesson, Post Lesson, Provide Feedback (record lesson) Estimated student daily learning time per period: 30 minutes Prep Time: 120 Minutes Teaching: 30 Minutes per class/period Prep for distance learning Provide Direct lesson, Post Lesson, Provide Feedback (record lesson) Estimated student daily learning time per period: 30 minutes The daily distance learning schedule is meant to be responsive to teachers' own schedules and there is not a requirement for when to provide the instruction in the day as long as it is completed no later than 4 PM each day. We understand there has to be flexibility to educators and families throughout this process. Teachers will work collaboratively with grade level peers to ensure that instruction received across the grade level is consistent for all students. Secondary Expectations Students ● ● ● ● Parents/Guardians ● ● Log into courses daily through the digital platform of your teacher’s choice. Complete and submit eLearning lessons and assignments as assigned Communicate with teachers as needed Spend approximately 2-3 hours per day on coursework for all classes Communicate with classroom teachers weekly through the teacher’s platform of choice Support students to complete work assigned by teachers through their digital platform Teachers ● ● ● ● Coaches ● ● ● Administrators ● ● ● ● Teacher Librarians ● ● ● Counselors ● ● ● ● ● Create Lessons using available digital tools and resources -Lesson Design A. Objective/Learning Target B. Instruction & Independent Practice (various formats available) C. Be flexible with learning. Learning is Constant: Time is the variable. No summative assessments shall be given at this time, but teachers can provide formative assessments in order to check for understanding. Some students may require reteaching during distance learning and/or upon return. Post lessons daily to platform of choice Be available to monitor and support students’ progress throughout the week Connect with a site administrator for a maximum of 60 minutes a week; Structure will be created in collaboration between the teacher(s) and site administrator. Curate, develop, and provide distance learning tools for teachers Provide professional development for distance learning tools Be available to support teachers with using distance learning tools/resources throughout the school week Ensure all students have access to essential distance learning materials Ensure teachers have access and training for essential distance learning platforms, tools, materials, and resources Be available to support teachers and families throughout the school day Arrange virtual meetings to support staff throughout the week Promote high quality, diverse literature and ensure that teachers and students can access digital reading materials Collaborate with teachers to strengthen teacher use of distance learning tools and support instruction Be available to support students, teachers, and families with accessing ebooks, research tools, information literacy instruction, and other library-related activities throughout the week Continue to enter transcripts for transfer students Do scheduling clean up for master schedules in support of administration Reach out to students who missed their “choice sheets” to help them pick classes for next year Monitor credit recovery on Edgenuity Reach out to seniors enrolled in Edgenuity courses to remind them that they can still earn credits during this time Special Education Students- Please reference this document. English Learners Teachers will be asked to continue to support our English learners as much as they can in the lessons they provide weekly. Our focus is equity, access, and ongoing support for this special population of students using the English Language Development Standards in conjunction with CCSS, NGSS, and History/Social Studies Framework. Continued support must be for language development growth, and support ELPAC and Reclassification. ELD teachers at all three levels will attempt to continue English Language Development classes though either live online teaching to small groups, or by recommending online resources to students to support their ongoing growth in English. ELD teachers will be responsible for maintaining ongoing contact with their caseload of ELs, and will maintain documentation of student engagement. Daily ELD instruction using the CA ELD Standards (Part I & II) ensures access, equity, and ongoing support for English language learners. Distance learning resources and instructional strategies that are included as part of the WCCUSD eLearning distance learning plan will also include linguistic support. Teachers shall include visuals, graphic organizers, and language scaffolds as part of the lessons and also target listening, speaking, reading, and writing. If additional guidance from the state or county comes forward regarding the expected support for ELs, which impacts teachers’ workload/responsibilities, WCCUSD and UTR will revisit. Assessment and Grading Assessment refers to the wide variety of methods that teachers use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students. A distance learning model will require WCCUSD teachers to adjust many of their current assessment methodology and activities to give credit for mastery in non-conventional ways. When planning for assessment, teachers should consider the following guidelines: ● ● ● Assessments should focus on determining student mastery of essential standards and students should receive regular feedback on their level of mastery. Formative assessment, not summative assessment, is most appropriate given the current educational circumstances. Formative assessments should be utilized to provide students with feedback on their learning progress and need for intervention. Considering the community circumstances and the rapid shift to online instruction, traditional summative assessments in the form of pencil/paper comprehensive tests are not appropriate at this time. However, culminating activities assessing mastery of multiple skills across content areas may be a way to personalize learning. After a formative assessment on an essential standard, students who need additional time and support to achieve mastery should be given additional opportunities to develop and demonstrate mastery, depending on their demonstrated needs. On March 17, 2020, the California Department of Education (CDE) issued general guidelines regarding the issuing of grades during a period of school closure and distance learning. According to the CDE, while delivering distance learning, grades are to be used to inform instruction and may not be punitive. The CDE may further delineate grading requirements in the near future. It is also anticipated that colleges and universities will provide essential, clarifying information regarding potential adjustments to how 2019-2020 grades will be viewed during the admissions process. Considering the central role that distance learning plays, similarly to assessment, grading practices also need to shift from traditional methods to more innovative, non-conventional ones. Modified grading guidelines will be implemented based on recommendations from various sources, including the CDE, County, collaborations with other local school districts, input from bargaining units, and a district task force/group. An equitable grading policy prior to April 13th will be communicated internally and to our parents/community. Resources To ensure the effective implementation of distance learning, teachers will utilize designated online platforms to complete the following: communicate course expectations, deliver instruction, collect and return student work, assess and communicate students’ progress, and provide academic support. Teacher selected content delivery platforms must be easily accessible by site administrators with potential for collaborative use by grade level/subject level partners. The following distance learning resources are available and district/site-supported: Content Delivery Platforms ● Google Classroom ● SeeSaw Digital Productivity Tools ● Google Suite (Docs, Slides, Calendar) ● Meet (video conferencing) ● Zoom (video conferencing) Student & Teacher Online Learning Application Hub ● Clever Curriculum ● Units of Study/EL ● Mystery Science ● MyMath ● Eureka Math ● Secondary Core Content Training and Support To support an effective transition to distance learning, all certificated staff will be provided with opportunities to engage in Distance Learning professional development. The district Google platform will be the required online tool for communication about course expectations, assignments details, and student progress. Training sessions on the use of digital learning tools will be available in an opt-in format by topic/subtopic and office/support hours will continue to be available for all teachers PK-12 at 10:00 am daily. Interested staff may join https://meet.google.com/rdt-dtzz-snd. Please see here for supports available for TK-6 teachers working to teach Units of Study for Reading, Writing, and Phonics. The district has also curated resources to support teachers with designing and delivering instruction. Resources are posted on the WCCUSD E-Learning Website. District and site administration will remain available via email, online meetings, and phone to support staff as we transition to distance learning and for the duration. All staff members are strongly encouraged to reach out with questions and to ask for support.