MASSP is dedicated to keeping our members informed as the situation with COVID-19 develops. This week you will receive the COVID-19 updates you have come to expect on Wednesday and Friday only. As you begin to implement your Continuous Learning Plans and engage with teachers, students and parents we will honor your time and reduce the amount of communication we are sending. If you have resources or information you think should be included in an upcoming update or on the MASSP COVID-19 resource center, please send them to Alicia Pilmore for consideration. New EO Includes Provisions on Evaluation, Attendance On April 30, Governor Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-65, which replaces the previous school closing measure (EO 2020-35) and includes new provisions that will be of particular interest to secondary school principals. In particular, the new EO requires districts to complete evaluations for teachers who are currently on an IDP based on at least the data available to the point of school closure in March. The EO also suspends provisions in state law regarding compulsory school attendance and enforcement (i.e. truancy laws), and a handful of other minor provisions that schools cannot comply with during closure (e.g. fire, tornado, and lock-down drills). MASSP is working on a detailed breakdown of the new EO and its full implications for schools. Webinar – High School Commencement: Here's What / So What / Now What MASA and MASSP will be providing a joint webinar on planning for Commencement and Year-End Events. This webinar was planned in collaboration to bring Superintendents, Central Office staff and Principals together to consider the factors around COVID-19 in their decision making when looking at face to face and virtual options for these important community celebrations. Some of the information shared in MASSP’s webinar on this topic during Leader2Leader on April 23rd will be repeated but additional considerations now exist based on the updated Executive Order issued this week. #GRADUATION2020: Facebook and Instagram Celebrate the Class of 2020 With so much of the country under stay at home orders, high school and college graduation ceremonies can’t happen as they normally would. But it doesn’t mean that they can’t happen at all! On Friday, May 15, Facebook and Instagram will proudly present a once-in-a-lifetime event to honor the incredible Class of 2020 and your parents, staff and students can be part of it! Upload your schools video shout outs and pictures to be included in the event. Items must be submitted by May 4. MDE MEMO- Michigan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Application Approval On April 29, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) approved the Michigan Department of Education’s (MDE) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund application and awarded the state $389,796,984 in emergency relief funds. The award was part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. MDE MEMO - Read By Grade 3 Law Update On April 29, the Michigan Department of Education released a memo clarifying school districts responsibilities relative to the Read By Grade Three law in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In short, while EO 2020-35 and 2020-65 suspend strict compliance with this law, including state testing and retention, local school districts are expected to continue implementing all other components of the law to the extent feasible given current circumstances. This includes the implementation of individual reading improvement plans; monitoring of student progress; providing appropriate interventions; and supporting all students to build their literacy skills. To view all MDE Memos, click here. Governor Announces "Future for Frontliners" Program Earlier this week, Governor Whitmer announced the "Futures for Frontliners” program to provide a tuition-free pathway to college or a technical certificate to essential workers who don’t have a college degree. Inspired by the federal government’s support of soldiers returning from World War II by providing educational opportunities, this G.I. Bill-style program includes workers like the ones staffing our hospitals and nursing homes, stocking the shelves at grocery stores, providing child care to critical infrastructure workers, manufacturing PPE, protecting public safety, picking up trash, or delivering supplies. Leader2Leader, Round 6 This week, both the middle level and high school leader to leader sessions featured practicing principals who shared their thinking regarding the opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned from initial implementation of their district Continuity of Learning Plans, Panelist responded to the following prompts:
Click here to view “In the Middle with You” recording. (Click here to view slidedeck)Click here to view the “High School View” recording. (Click here to view slidedeck)Click here to read John Haittie’s post, “Visible Learning Effect Sizes When Schools Are Closed: What Matters and What Does Not.
Round 7: Implications of COVID-19 on School Funding So much has changed since Gov. Whitmer released her budget in February. The COVID-19 Pandemic has created significant economic impact revenues that will require districts to adopt budgets much different from the one planned pre-pandemic. School districts are likely to have to make deep cuts to their budgets both this year and next year. While there is no clarity yet about the extent of deterioration in the state’s revenue base, the administration has said that our combined revenue in the General and School Aid Funds could be short $1-$3 billion this fiscal year and $1-$4 billion next fiscal year. This could result in cuts to school funding that equate to several hundred dollars per pupil. To help school leaders begin planning for the economic impact this crisis will have on local district budgets on personnel and resources, Bob Kefgen, MASSP's Director of Government Relations, will moderate Round 7 of Leader2Leader featuring school funding experts from the State Budget Office. Bethany Wicksall, the State Budget Office Director of Legislative and External Affairs, and Beth Bullion, the Director of the Office of Education within the State Budget Office will review the projected impact on COVID-19 on state tax revenue generally and school funding in particular and answer participant questions about what the current crisis might mean for school funding this year and next. To avoid Zoom Bombing, each Leader2Leader requires registration and approval. MASSP staff reviews each registration individually to confirm the participant is a member and/or Michigan educator. Upon approval, each participant receives a unique link to log into the webinar, so please add the individual link in confirmation email to your calendar. Become a Legend of Zoom, Part 2 This week, MASSP’s Ryan Cayce and Matt Alley discuss Zoom etiquette and show you the DOs and DON’Ts of a successful Zoom meeting. Commencement Survey As districts consider options for honoring and drawing closure for seniors, it is important to engage students in the decision-making process and/or solicit their input regarding priorities and interests. Click the link below to find a short survey districts might utilize to gather input from seniors that may be used to determine how to proceed locally. News Items and Resources From the Twitterverse |