US+Dept+of+Ed+Recommendations


 * PREPARING FOR THE FLU: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENSURE **
 * THE CONTINUITY OF LEARNING FOR SCHOOLS (K ****‐ ****12) **
 * DURING EXTENDED STUDENT ABSENCE OR SCHOOL DISMISSAL **

 As the CDC releases its ** “Guidance for School Responses to Influenza During the 2009 ** ** ‐ **  **2010 School Year,”** the U.S. Department of Education (“the Department”) wishes to remind states, districts, schools, students, staff, families, and communities alike about the importance of ** ensuring the continuity of learning in the event of student or school dismissals **.  The purpose of this document, therefore, is to provide recommendations to help schools maintain the continuity of learning for ** 1) individual or small groups of students who are out ** ** ‐ of ‐ school for extended periods and 2) large groups of students disrupted by school dismissals or large numbers of faculty absences. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">These recommendations present considerations for education stakeholders to plan for and improve their ability to provide continuous learning ranging from take <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontstyle: italic; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">home assignments to online learning capabilities. It offers key questions for states, districts, school leaders, teachers, parents, and students, as well as provides resource opportunities and best practices. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> There are a number of reasons why students may be out <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">of <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">school for extended periods. For example, schools may pursue selective dismissals of students at high <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">risk of flu complications (to prevent the spread of flu to vulnerable communities), reactive dismissals (when a significant proportion of students in school have a documented fever), or preemptive dismissals (to proactively decrease the spread of flu). Whatever the reason and regardless of the duration of such interruptions, all education stakeholders should consider the effects of significant absences on student achievement and establish plans that not only ensure health and safety, but also maintain a continuity of learning.

We are mindful that available resources will play a part in determining how each school creates its continuity of learning plan. This framework offers several options, all aimed at helping districts, schools, and teachers plan and execute distance learning with whatever resources they have or are able to obtain. The strategies outlined below range from sending copies of assignments home with students to web <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">based distance learning coursework. Specifically, they include:
 * <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Options to get the material to students who are at home **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">



<span style="color: black; font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;"> **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Hard copy packets **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">: Photocopies of reference materials, curriculum, and assignments can be prepared in advance for distribution to affected students;

<span style="color: black; font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;"> **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Online materials or other aligned content: **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Digital copies of reference materials, assignments, and audio <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">visual learning supports can be made available on the Internet using e <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">learning and other Learning Management Systems (LMS) ( e.g., school websites, etc.);

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="color: black; font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;"> **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Teacher check ****<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ ****<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">ins and tutorials **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">: A variety of technologies (telephone, email, web conferencing) can be used to facilitate one <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">on <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">one interaction between students and teachers, counselors and other appointed adults (e.g., tutors) during prolonged absences or dismissals;
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">U.S. Department of Education **//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Recommendations to Ensure Continuity of Learning //

<span style="color: black; font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;"> **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Recorded class meetings **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">: Using audio or video technology, recorded class meetings can be given to some or all absent students via podcasts, live or on <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">demand television, DVD, captioned closed <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ circuit or public access television, or online;

<span style="color: black; font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;"> **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Live class meetings: **<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Schools can use available tools such as conference calling or webinars, online courses, or virtual schools with two <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ way interaction between the teacher and students;

<span style="color: black; font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; msolist: Ignore;"> **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Other student supports: **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Schools can use any of the above methods to promote non <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">classroom priorities, such as college and other counseling support, including student loan preparation (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or study groups that are enabled through web <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">based tools.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The following four guiding questions will help districts and schools develop learning continuity strategies and action plans:
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Considerations for ensuring continuity of learning **



1. How will affected parties communicate during individual or prolonged absences or during school <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">‐ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">wide dismissals?

2. How will students understand and access available academic resources and other supports from home?

3. What equipment and other resources are available or need to be acquired to enable school and district learning continuity plans?

4. What additional training or experience is required to prepare all parties to respond appropriately when needed?