Throughout the duration of the Governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” directive, OSPI will continue serving the public via phone, email, and the website.
See OSPI’s COVID-19 guidance and resources for educators, students, and families.
Many areas of the world, including the United States, are experiencing an expanding outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus, COVID-19.
On March 11, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. To slow the spread of the virus, on March 13, Governor Inslee ordered all public and private K–12 schools in Washington state to close through April 24. On April 6, the Governor announced all schools would remain closed from providing traditional, in-person instruction through the rest of the 2019–20 school year.
OSPI is committed to providing ongoing guidance and resources as we experience this unprecedented situation together. The most current guidance and resources are provided below.
Published May 4, 2020 is a high-level overview of the state budget with respect to basic education versus non-basic education funding sources. This document is for discussion purposes only, and is not intended to be legally binding. Questions on the included categories or characterizations should be directed to T.J. Kelly, Chief Financial Officer, at thomas.kelly@k12.wa.us or 360-725-6301.
The COVID-19 situation is considered a subsequent event for accounting purposes, which needs to be disclosed in the notes to the 2018–19 financial statements for school district audit reports that are being issued now. A subsequent event is a significant event that occurs after fiscal year end, but before the financial statements have been issued. The financial impacts may not be known at this time, but there are significant operational impacts and schools are operating in an environment that is vastly different than just a few months ago. OSPI has created a template for the note required to be added to the financial statement.
In addition, OSPI has prepared accounting guidelines to provide a framework through which districts can identify COVID-related expenditures. The guidelines also include a preview of the data reporting template for those expenditures. These expenditures will be reported through a supplemental reporting tool and will not be separately identified in each school district’s financial statement (F-196) this fall.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Pub. L. No. 116-136 was signed into law on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act provides substantial relief to students and educators who have been profoundly affected by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). CARES Act funding for nationwide distribution to school districts was set at $13.5 billion. At this time, we have not been awarded Washington’s share of these funds. OSPI is awaiting answers to questions in response to guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on implementation of the CARES Act. OSPI will continue our priority focus on sharing guidance and resources as soon as they become available.
In addition to providing funding, the CARES Act authorized the U.S. Department of Education to provide flexibility through waivers of specific requirements in K–12 education funding and programs in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. More information about these waives is available in OSPI Bulletin 032-20, published April 15, 2020.
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund, created through the CARES Act, will grant Washington state $216 million, of which $195 million will be provided to school districts as sub-award using the Title I allocation methodology. Preliminary guidance and estimates for school districts is available (published May 8, 2020).
OSPI is committed to providing ongoing apportionment payments to school districts during the closure. OSPI will file an emergency rule to allow districts to claim students with more than 20 days of consecutive absences due to COVID-19.
The adjustment rate refers to the historical trend of enrollment changes in the last few months of the school year. We will use district level enrollment by grade from school year 2018–19 to determine the “adjustment rate” per month.
If districts are using state or local funds to pay their state and locally funded staff during the closure, they may continue to use federal funds to pay the salaries of their federally funded staff.
State law (RCW 28A.150.220) requires school districts to provide a district-wide average of 1,027 instructional hours and 180 school days within each academic year. Ordinarily, districts receive state funding based on the number of students enrolled in the district during that time. OSPI is authorized to waive these requirements for districts in the event of unforeseen emergency events, including epidemics (RCW 28A.150.290[2]).
On April 29, 2020, OSPI adopted temporary emergency rules (Chapter 392-901 WAC) establishing the terms and conditions governing school districts' entitlement to state funds during the 2019–20 school year when the district was unable to fully meet the required number of school days and instructional hours.
The terms and conditions are explained in the School Days & Instructional Hours Emergency Waivers & District Reporting Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions document published April 30, 2020.
The publications on supporting multilingual students/English learners and migrant students under Title I, Part C are intended to provide school districts with guidance and strategies for providing continuous learning to these student populations during school facility closures. The publications were published on April 27, 2020.
Translated guidance:
During school facility closures, Superintendent Reykdal has eliminated pass/fail grading as a matter of state policy. Student learning and grading for the remainder of the school facility closure will focus on the following framework:
This statewide framework will create more consistency across the state, but districts will still decide which letter grade system to use. However, “F’s” will not be an option. The full Student Learning & Grading Guidance document was published on April 21, 2020.
Emergency rules filed April 29, 2020 establish the terms and conditions governing local education agencies' (LEAs') entitlement to receive basic education apportionment allocations during the 2019–20 school year when the LEAs could not offer the statutory minimum number of school days or annual average total instructional hour offerings due to emergency closures. The emergency rules also address standards for continuous learning for the remainder of the 2019–20 school year.
Questions about the guidance and the rules have been collected and answered in the Student Learning & Grading Guidance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document posted April 29, 2020.
Although schools are closed from providing traditional in-person instruction, education must continue. All schools were expected to have begun providing educational services by March 30, 2020.
OSPI's Continuous Learning 2020 publication, developed in partnership with a stakeholder group of education leaders, provides school districts with detailed guidance, tools, and resources for meeting student, educator, and family needs while schools are closed.
In late February and early March, we set a high bar for districts who wanted to continue distance learning if their school buildings were to close. The situation in our state has drastically evolved since that time. Subsequent to our initial guidance, Governor Inslee has shut down all schools in the state for a minimum of six weeks (which has since been extended) and the U.S. Department of Education has provided much needed guidance. We have an obligation to our students to provide them with opportunities to continue their learning during this pandemic.
The term “continuous learning” means establishing and maintaining connections with students and families to provide learning materials and supports using a variety of modalities (e.g., email, phone, printed learning materials, and available online platforms).
Resources to assist districts, students, and parents/guardians are available on OSPI's Resources for Continuous Learning During School Closures webpage.
Translated guidance:
During the long-term school closure, school districts should work with students, their families, and their communities to ensure seniors remain on track to graduate. Bulletin 022-20 provides school and district staff with options and flexibility for providing seniors with the assistance they need, including guidance on meeting credit requirements, assessment options, dual credit, special education services, alternative learning settings, and supporting their emotional well-being.
On April 29, 2020, OSPI published a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document about graduation pathways for the Class of 2020. The FAQ covers questions related to flexibility in graduation requirements for the Class of 2020, graduation pathways, pathways for students with disabilities, and the Expedited Assessment Appeals (EAA) waiver.
At the outset of the temporary school building closure, OSPI provided guidance to districts, schools, and local associations about teacher and principal evaluation for the 2019–20 school year only. Now that school staff will be engaged in continuous learning for students while school buildings are closed for the rest of the school year, OSPI is updating the guidance for completing teacher and principal evaluations for 2019–20.
The underlying principle to use common sense regarding evaluation remains. This includes:
Procedures for the logistics of completing the evaluation process and forms may need to change for the 2019–20 school year. Tools such as evaluation conferences via phone or videoconferencing software, electronic or email signatures, and forms being used for this year only may be necessary.
A slightly revised (from the March bulletin) chart appears below. In addition, a Frequently Asked Questions document for this evaluation period can be found on the TPEP webpage. Please check this page regularly for updates to this information. We anticipate posting guidance for eVAL users shortly.
|
Item |
Anticipated Scenario |
Recommended Solution |
|
1 |
Evaluatees whose evidence demonstrates “Proficient” or “Distinguished” rating at the date of school closure or most recent date of progress review |
Move those ratings to final summative score for the 2019–20 school year |
|
2 |
Evaluatees with zero to five years’ experience whose evidence indicates a rating of “Basic” at the date of school closure or most recent date of progress review |
Move the “Basic” rating to final summative rating for the 2019–20 school year
|
|
3 |
Evaluatees with more than five years’ experience whose evidence indicates a score of “Basic” at the date of school closure or most recent date of progress review |
Handled locally on case-by-case basis OR No final score with a letter placed in personnel file describing circumstances |
|
4 |
Evaluatees at any level of experience whose evidence indicates a score of “Unsatisfactory” at the date of school closure or most recent date of progress review |
Handled locally on a case-by-case basis. (Care taken here to ensure the “Unsatisfactory” rating is not the result of missing evidence, but rather based on holistic assessment of evidence provided) |
|
5 |
Evaluatees on probation or plan of improvement |
Handled locally on case-by-case basis |
|
6 |
Evaluatees on Focused Evaluation
|
Retain score for final summative evaluation |
Per the Governor’s directive, during mandatory closures, school districts are prohibited from providing in-person educational, recreational, and other K–12 school programs using their school buildings and facilities.
Districts will not be prevented from using their facilities to provide child care, for individual staff to remotely lead or develop content for professional learning or staff meetings, to hold Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, to provide direct services to individual students, or for other activities deemed essential and necessary by the district administration.
If districts determine that the use school facilities to provide educational services is essential and necessary under state or federal law, the following guidelines must be followed:
During long-term school closures, child care will be critically important to support frontline healthcare workers and first responders who are focused on slowing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.
Schools may choose to offer child care independently or in collaboration with community-based organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and YMCA. If schools operate preschool programs or have existing partnerships with Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), Head Start, or other community-based preschool programs, they should determine the extent to which these programs may be able serve prioritized children and families. If schools intend to offer infant and toddler care, they should partner with an experienced community-based organization or staff with individuals who have expertise in infant and toddler care to manage these efforts.
Child care should continue to be provided throughout the entire school closure period, including during previously scheduled spring breaks or release days. Schools are not expected to provide child care on evenings or weekends. Families needing care outside of the school’s care schedule should contact the Child Care Aware of Washington Family Center at 1-800-446-1114.
Schools must adhere to the guidelines for maintaining health and safety in child care environments provided by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). DOH provides guidance for health screening, social distancing, and other health and safety practices, as well steps to take if children, staff, or parents/guardians contract COVID-19 or develop symptoms. Persons who are older, pregnant, have underlying health conditions, or have compromised immune systems are at higher risk of developing complications from this virus. These individuals should not provide child care or visit child care facilities.
See further guidance on child care in OSPI guidance published March 23, 2020.
If students in the school district are receiving general education instruction and student support services, then districts must have a plan for how all students with disabilities will also receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). There is not an expectation that IEP services would be delivered exactly as the IEP states. This is a national emergency, and districts should be communicating with families and making decisions based on student need and how those services can be provided.
More information about provision of special education services is included on OSPI’s COVID-19 Special Education Guidance webpage. The page includes in-depth guidance related to, among other topics:
Many students rely on school meals to meet their nutritional needs. Additionally, as this outbreak begins to impact the economic environment, we know more families may find themselves needing assistance. During these school closures, school districts may provide breakfast and lunch to any student, regardless of their family income, at the location(s) designated by the district.
Each district and school have a unique set of circumstances and resources. OSPI is individually assisting districts and schools to determine how to best meet community needs. Guidance for school districts is available on OSPI’s Meals & Nutrition Guidance webpage.
State assessments are canceled statewide for the remainder of the 2020 school year. These include: Smarter Balanced Assessments (English Language Arts and Math) for grades 3–8 and 10; Washington Access to Instruction and Measurement (WA-AIM) English Language Arts and Math for grades 3–8 and 10; English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA21); Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science for grades 5, 8, and 11; Washington Access to Instruction and Measurement (WA-AIM) Science for grades 5, 8, and 11; WIDA Alternate ACCESS for English learners; and WaKIDS for Transitional Kindergarten.
If a student has completed or partially completed any of the above assessments, districts should submit or return the assessments or other information using the regular processes. Districts should return any unused materials.
Assuming school districts reopen later this spring, graduating seniors may choose to take an assessment to meet graduation pathway requirements or to earn the Seal of Biliteracy. Additional information regarding assessments, graduation pathways, and graduation requirements will be issued in future bulletins and guidance.
COVID-19 is not at all connected to race, ethnicity, or nationality. School staff should be mindful that bullying, intimidation, or harassment of students based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, or disability (including the actual disability of being infected with COVID-19 or perception of being infected) may result in a violation of state and federal civil rights laws. School districts must take immediate and appropriate action to investigate what occurred when responding to reports of bullying or harassment. If parents and families believe their child has experienced bullying, harassment, or intimidation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, they should contact their school district’s designated civil rights compliance coordinator.
The U.S. Department of Education has also released guidance on addressing the risk of COVID-19 in schools while protecting the civil rights of students.
In response to school closures due to COVID-19, OSPI content experts have curated a selection of links to external organizations providing high-quality online educational materials – courses, lessons, videos, physical and outdoor activity suggestions, etc. Please note that in many cases, these resources are free to use online but are not openly licensed for wide scale reuse and adaptation. These resources were carefully chosen for their alignment to Washington State K–12 Learning Standards (or a recognized equivalent) and/or direct experience with effective implementation with students.
Schools are closed to keep students away from each other so they don’t spread germs to each other and to the community. These school closures should not be treated as spring or summer break. Parents and families should do their best to keep students away from each other and others. This means no large playdates, sleepovers, or parties. Parents should aim to keep their children active during the closure – taking them for walks, to the park, bike rides, and other outdoor or indoor fitness activities – but should strive to keep children out of large groups for the time being. Read more about social distancing from the state Department of Health.