Clarity on Instructional Time News from Friday
There was a flurry of news activity on Friday surrounding the online learning districts are pushing to deliver for students and how the state was going to count that toward requirements for student contact time this school year.
The short version:
There’s a lot that the state doesn’t know yet that we need to figure out. Right now, we need to stay focused on everyone’s health and safety, provide certainty for school employees and districts where we can, and make long-term decisions about what’s best for students as we know what the path ahead looks like.
The long version:
Friday morning, an MDE memo about instructional time set off questions and frustration among educators and parents alike who are working hard to keep students engaged during the school closure caused by the coronavirus outbreak. That memo stated (correctly) that, “There is no mechanism to earn instructional time during a period of mandated school closure.”
MEA President Paula Herbart responded by reminding who can develop such mechanisms: “Those requirements are set by the Legislature, which is why we’re working hard to get the State House and Senate to return to Lansing to take action on continued pay for ALL school employees and forgiveness of time during this closure. If you haven’t already, please contact your legislators and urge them to take that action.”
Later in the day, State Superintendent Michael Rice issued a press statement to provide greater clarity on the memo, focusing on how state law and equitable access to education were prompting MDE’s stance.
“Equitable access issues exist across our state – north to south and east to west,” the release stated. “These access issues include the lack of internet connectivity for some families and schools, and the lack of resources, including devices for some students and staff. Additionally, there are access issues for students with different types of learning needs. These access issues create inequitable educational opportunities for children across our state.”
Among the legal issues raised, Rice pointed to existing laws around instructional days and attendance – laws that could be changed by the Legislature.
“With this public health emergency growing, the legislature will need to relax Michigan Merit Curriculum high school graduation requirements, teacher and administrator evaluation requirements, and other legal requirements,” Dr. Rice said. “It will also need to ensure that all public school employees, salaried and hourly; all contracted service providers, instructional and non-instructional; and all substitute staff members be paid during this period of emergency. This is an unprecedented time.”
In the early evening, Gov. Whitmer followed that up with a news release of her own, clarifying the situation from her standpoint.
“As you know, the situation has changed rapidly over the course of the past ten days,” Whitmer said. “We do not know what the future will hold, but we are absolutely committed to ensuring the needs of our students, parents, and families are met as we navigate these uncharted waters. I will be working in the coming days to ensure our seniors graduate and that no child is held back as a result of our ability to provide face-to-face instruction during the COVID-19 school closure.
“To teachers, administrators, and support staff – I thank you for stepping up and helping your students and families. To students and especially parents, hang in there. We will get through this.”
MEA will continue to be engaged with Gov. Whitmer, Supt. Rice, MDE and the Legislature to address these and other educational issues as they develop throughout this crisis, said President Herbart.
“More conversations need to be had – with the input of the frontline educators we represent – about how best to help all students, including those with special needs and those without access to online learning,” Herbart said. “Right now, the best advice is to keep students engaged academically as best we can at home, to be as patient as possible while new information comes to light, and to heed public health experts on what’s needed to slow this outbreak.”
Forgiveness should be a given in this pandemic. I only care that my grandchildren are alive and healthy, not what grade they are in. They will continue learning because they are curious and have access to educated family. How sad this is not the case for all. Michigan schools could and should have been better prepared to deliver quality online instruction without a blip. For years Michigan’s educational technologists through REMC have developed and offered quality professional learning opportunities such as Blended Learning in the Classroom and the 21 Things Project. What have local communities and K-12 schools been doing the past decade to ensure every student could learn anytime, anywhere within their community? This is a wakeup call. We are three decades into this century with so much technology available, but few of our educators are trained in the pedagogy of online instruction. This is a good time for MDE to look at future strategies that might be student centered, such as non-gradedness, multiage, performance- based blended instruction and worry less about competitive standardized tests that reduce our children to data points. Get a clue!
As a retired teacher, I know that teachers are trying to conform to the changes happening around us. There wasn’t any information to teachers as to what was happening and what was expected of them. Teachers are urgently trying to get lesson plans in their website. Please do not blame teachers as they are taking their own time and energy to get educational end up and running. Please be patient as teachers share your concerns about continuing student learning.
I was listening on the townhall meeting today, but was not able to ask my question. Many state governors have declared executive orders to waive state testing. Why can’t Governor Whitmer make that executive order in Michigan?
Also, what is the status on Secretary DeVos? Why hasn’t she been visible and why isn’t she providing the waiver?
Many school districts have resorted to outsourcing their custodial services. In addition, these services are only placing 2-3 employees in each building to clean buildings. These custodians are underpaid and cannot meet the normal day to day demands under normal operation to keep the buildings clean. Will OSHA be coming up with a protocol mandating deep cleaning of all schools or will the state government be implementing a plan? Should the daunting task of sterilizing/deep cleaning be put solely on the backs of the underpaid custodial staff?
In addition, teachers and students were wiping down tables, desks, books, etc. within their classrooms. For some teachers, they had supplies that were donated to the class from the beginning of the school year, however many teachers spent their own money buying hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, tissues, etc. to do what they needed to do in order to keep their students as safe as possible. I do not want this to come across as if I am discrediting those who work as a custodial staff member working in the schools. These men and women are extremely hard workers and were working hard to do what they could by taking on additional duties without additional support in place. I understand that every minute this grave situation continues to change and that our primary focus right now is on the health of Michiganders. I certainly hope that there will be some plan of action developed to deep clean the schools prior to returning back to school.
Some rural areas still do not and cannot get internet access.