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Lewis: Students returning to school this fall will face a new, changed reality. 1 way to help — start classes later so they can get more sleep

Schools are still determining what changes they’ll need to make before reopening in the fall. Some, like LAUSD and San Diego Unified, have already determined they’ll remain online only for now, while others are still grappling with the complexities involved: How will they ensure social distancing in the classroom? Will face masks be required? What about...
By Lisa L. Lewis | July 28, 2020
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Board candidate Tanya Ortiz Franklin: With less than a month to go before school reopens for remote-only learning, LA Unified needs to act now to prioritize students’ needs

While we are all wading through the uncharted waters of a global pandemic interlaced with a racial justice uprising, one thing is clear — the clock is ticking towards back to school. Last week, Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second largest, announced what many had predicted: that because of the surge in coronavirus...
By Tanya Ortiz Franklin | July 27, 2020
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Fourth-graders’ tips for learning online: Go to bed early. Plug in your laptop. Try to find a quiet place to get focused. Don’t get frustrated

A version of this essay originally appeared on the KIPP.NJ blog. Remote learning is not what I signed on for when I became a teacher. The physical distance makes it very difficult for me to be there for my kids. But while this is an unpredictable and stressful time for everyone, helping students create new routines...
By Amanda Geiger | July 23, 2020
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New study does not find stark differences in how district, charter and private schools responded to COVID-19 crisis

The nation’s K-12 schools reacted to the disruption of COVID-19 in broadly similar ways regardless of whether they were district, charter or private, according to new research released Monday. In general, traditional public schools did not lag behind charters or private schools, except for a few days near the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis when...
By Kevin Mahnken | July 22, 2020
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How LA’s virtual ‘Summer of Learning’ hopes to help students avoid COVID slide — with a little help from NASA, ‘Titanic’ and ‘Despicable Me’

As summer approached, Ruthie Seroussi of Los Angeles began to worry about how to occupy her young sons. Even remote learning offered a structure to the day, but with summer camps cancelled, she dreaded battles over the TV and Xbox. She and her husband are both attorneys, but he works in an office while she...
By Julie Halpert | July 21, 2020
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As LA Unified shifts $25M away for its police budget, it should also make sure its restorative justice program is sound

Since the Los Angeles Unified School Board voted to cut its school police budget by $25 million, activists have been calling for more student support services, such as additional counselors and social workers. Meanwhile, restorative justice programs offer another strategy that could prove useful as we look to soften our schools and move away from...
By Josh Brown | July 20, 2020
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Schools tell ed tech leader they expect lots more blended, hybrid learning in the fall. What this means for teachers and students

Uncertainty surrounds the start of the 2020-21 school year. Districts around the country must prepare for three types of learning environments: the in-person style they’ve known for decades, the distance learning most were tossed into during the pandemic, and the most likely of scenarios — a hybrid environment, mixing both remote and in-classroom education. This...
By Tim Newcomb | July 16, 2020
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What should kids (and parents) know about student data and online testing? Some suggestions from a privacy advocate — and mom

Students across the world have had to adapt to a new way of learning due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, as the school year comes to a close, they are also adapting to a new way of being evaluated: taking tests online. Advanced Placement exams were recently administered virtually, with widespread glitches, and colleges and...
By Olga Garcia-Kaplan | July 15, 2020
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Los Angeles Unified and San Diego Unified issue joint announcement of online-only start to school year next month

The following statement was released Monday morning by both the Los Angeles Unified and San Diego Unified School Districts: On March 13, four months ago today, we made the difficult decision to close our schools to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Much has changed since that time: New research is available, additional information on...
By LA School Report | July 13, 2020
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Analysis: Week-by-week survey finds parents worried about sending kids back to school — three-quarters think September is too soon

On June 30, Sen. Lamar Alexander convened the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to hear four health experts — including Dr. Anthony Fauci — provide an update on COVID-19, including how K-12 leaders and other stakeholders can open schools safely this fall. Alexander was direct in offering his thoughts: “The question before the...
By Bruno Manno | July 13, 2020