Board of Ed: update to regulations on learning time

 Riley: amendments adopted on an emergency basis "were very useful to us"
regulation for grading and for tracking attendance
10 day period for training
Deb Steenland (Deputy General Counsel) Public comment: some recommendations were adopted
Heard that it would be helpful to have definitions for synchronous and asynchronous
felt definition of remote learning was too broad: could allow for a remote learning plan that was only asynchronous, so updated to include "opportunities to regularly interact with teachers"
teachers and administrators regularly communicate with parents; "what about students?" so updated to include
Did not adopt changes mostly related to remote learning
heard from advocates requirements for providing accommodations for students with disabilities and English learners
the provision already covers all students; will be monitoring districts on how they're doing with these students and if their needs are being met
sympathize and understand underlying concern
concerns about tracking attendance; strengthening it such that students who cannot participate in remote learning through no fault of their own
did not change "habitually truant" as it is in law under DCF; even beyond that, "if there's an issue with attendance, we don't want to lose sight of that issue...really it's an issue with provision of services to that student, and it's a family engagement issue"
Johnston: working with DCF to be sure we're aligned around habitual truancy and how we prevent it
know information about our families before a student might be deemed habitually truant
offered workshop for districts and DCF together this summer
tip sheet for teachers on what to look for coming out
shifted document in draft document around family engagement, getting to know families, getting to know students
materials provided to districts
"don't want to put something in regulation that would oversimplify"
want absence to count, want attention given to that
"that student that's absent a lot, doesn't mean that you need to necessarily file with the Department of Children and Families"
much more nuanced than that

Hills: issue I have with this...why should the Board give up its responsibility to approve any modifications to target of hours and days?
"looking at this saying this should be a Board decision"
to just waive that doesn't strike me as something that is required or good policy
Would appreciate a consultation
Struggled a lot with how much should be in plans; would usually never say how many hours should be required for synchronous
"of course that's up to local districts, of course we don't have the ability to ram anything through"
but watching what is happening
while DESE doesn't have the ability to mandate anything "what districts should be considering" is a use of the platform
initially thought there are some changes I'd like to propose to be in here
consequences are that if it cannot be done today, the 90 days expire
"nor am I looking for superintendents to suddenly do redo plans that they did over the summer in good faith"
asks that it be put back on the agenda in November
"look if there are some more specifics we want to put in"
example of teachers only having a handful of minutes being offered
"if political leadership is failing at district levels" while Board cannot mandate, of concern

Stewart: incumbent on districts to do outreach on family engagement
Want to acknowledge the challenge that school committees have risen to
engaging with families, making plans
"tremendously challenging time"
Thank all of those people on committees for their work and time 

Morton would encourage voting in favor of what is in front of us with a 60 to 90 day review

Moriarty agrees entirely
a lot of decisions out there at the local level that I wouldn't support right now
"do want to be mindful about not overregulating the situation"
"think of a term of art legally" like truancy is of concern
"don't want fast track students into criminal court" or families into 51A

motion then is approval at the board meeting in the November


passes, as does change to regulation on collaboratives