Board of Ed February meeting: time on learning regulations

 and they're back

Riley: "mental health visits have skyrocketed"
coming back for asking that this be permanent 
have "taken a multi-pronged approach" with mental health supports
"have only asked districts to take a 25% approach"
impact suburban districts more than urban ones
"it's a band-aid to get us through"
"read all the comments, particularly the kids' comments, and what it said to me is that we really need to get our students back in schools"

Morton: waivers?
Curtin; 24 requests for waivers, 16 approved, 9 were just for a delay
were asking for the switch at a quarter
in other 6, cited evidence from community, came up to meet us
remaining 7 did not meet standard and were rejected

Fernández: what has been submitted since February 1? What is the status?
Curtin: coming back at future meeting with what was collected

Stewart: many links on mental health; how much has the field been engaged in the issue since December relative to mental health in schools
Johnston: wellness, well being, outlining how we can support students along with families
funds used alongside stimulus funds received
have visited "a number of schools and classrooms, in person and remotely" and sees ongoing checks with well being and efforts to reach students in crisis
Stewart: gaps?
Johnston: "not everything can be created in a remote environment"
engagement with each other, "so important for development"
"harder to form a friendship over Zoom"
Stewart: "I wish we could have had a 'both and' on this vote"
"very challenging to make this...have this be separate things"
"I find this a very uneven answer, and I'm not really sure...it's not the best approach maybe...I still think it's important for teachers and students to see each other. I think it's important for schools and teachers to be prioritized in a way they haven't been"

Fernández: where are we with compliance now that a month has passed?
Curtin: in the midst of finalizing that collection
overall we are approaching full compliance based on the new regulations that went into effect
Fernández: if they are doing this on their own, why are we talking about this?
Curtin: they are in compliance of the regulations that have come into effect
"not necessarily on their own, but because the regulations are in effect"
Fernández: "I think that's important to consider in the vote"

Couglin: hasn't necessarily impacted student mental health
I don't know that having students online more helps that
concerned that about the pressure that this places on teachers
concerned that students were on consulted
"consulting with students as they are the ones most impacted"

Hills: students concerned were those in districts "way in compliance"
"I just want to say thank you for stepping up and doing this in December"

Lombos: "I just don't see the through line of the problem being mental health for students and the answer" being more time online
"the people most impacted by those issues should be driving" the discussion
still don't have a clear answer on why the state thinks the regulation would be good when there are educators who think it would not
"important points that I really don't see the through line"

Peyser: Commissioner has rightly raised mental health but it is educational as well
whole days or part days asynchronous "just getting some worksheets"
"not getting the whole educational experience"

Rouhanifard: wouldn't this be asking districts to change their plans
Craven: applicability? How long will this be in effect if the Commissioner plans to move ahead on buildings
Rouhanifard: shifting plans is hard, and this would be asking them to shift their plans again ahead of a much bigger shift
no, it would not

Moriarty: "I believe we took the best step available to us"
"to at least do something"
shifting the regulations over and again

Coughlin: in response to the Secretary, I think it is a misconception that fully asynchronous students are not in contact with their teachers
That is not the case
Not every school has the same resources when it comes to mental health

Regulations pass with Coughlin, Stewart, Lombos, Fernández in opposition