1.A Content Standards

Expectations for all students should remain high and consistent regardless of their learning environment.

District Guidance

DC Education Standards – DC’s approved content standards, including those for math, English language arts, and science, specifying what students are expected to be able to know and demonstrate by the end of each grade.

External Resources

Ready Now Math Distance-Learning Resources (Math Innovation Network) – Curated collection of math tools which can be immediately integrated in in-person, hybrid, or fully remotely instruction.

Ready Now Science and Engineering (Science and Engineering Education Network) – K-12+ education technology guide focused on STEM for use in-person, hybrid, or remote teaching and learning.

Moving Forward: Mathematics Learning in the Era of COVID-19 (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) – Guidance with regards to planning for mathematics instruction in school year 2020-21, focused on (1) structural considerations, (2) teaching practices, and (3) advocacy.

High-Quality Instructional Materials (Council of Chief State School Officers) – Recommendations for high-quality materials to be used for remote learning due to COVID-19 school closures.

Essential Standards Chart (Solution Tree) – Guiding questions for schools to utilize when selecting essential standards, including identifying prerequisite skills needed, when standards will be taught, and assessments used to measure student mastery.

Equitable Recovery Toolkit (UnBoundEd) – Resources designed to evaluate the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on unfinished learning and teaching in core subjects for K-12 schools and guide data-driven decision making for professional development and lesson planning for the fall.

Addressing Unfinished Learning After COVID-19 School Closures (Council of the Great City Schools) – An instructional framework for addressing unfinished learning and learning losses, as well as a review of essential skills and content in English language arts and mathematics to support access to grade-level content in key grade transitions for all students.

2020-21 School Year Priority Instructional Content in English Language Arts/Literacy and Math (Achieve the Core) – Grade-level guidance in this document is intended to helps educators find new efficiencies in the curriculum that are critical for the unique challenges that have resulted from school closures and anticipated disruptions in the year ahead by (a) highlighting the most important priorities in each grade; (b) identifying opportunities for combining lessons by topics; and (c) pinpointing strategies for omitting some or most material (if necessary), while minimizing negative impacts on the progress of students.

1.B Delivery of Instruction

The methods for delivering instruction across all learning environments, including both in-person and remote settings, should be user-friendly, coherent and consistent.

OSSE Supports

Facilitating Small Group Math Instruction with Microsoft Teams – Instructional strategies for engaging students and facilitating small group instruction using a videoconferencing tool.

Supporting Independent Math Practice with Explain Everything – Instructional strategies to support video-recorded math instruction (using models and making connections between symbols and concepts) and free tools to provide student feedback on remote, independent math practice.

Creating Instructional Math Videos with Screencastify – Strategies for integrating asynchronous math video lessons, synchronous touchpoints with students, and formative assessments.

Upcoming OSSE Trainings

Teaching and Learning PD Opportunities – OSSE’s Division of Teaching and Learning (TAL) has a robust offering of professional learning opportunities for DC educators. All OSSE TAL PD trainings open for registration are listed within OSSE's Training Registration application. In addition, educators can stay informed of upcoming PD opportunities by viewing the monthly 2020 TAL PD Bulletin. For technical assistance in specific content areas, please contact the relevant member of the TAL PD Team.

External Resources

Solving the Iceberg Program: Addressing Learning Loss in Middle School Math Through Tailored Acceleration (New Classrooms) – An instructional blueprint for addressing profound learning loss in a post-COVID era.

School Practices to Address Student Learning Loss (EdResearch for Recovery) – A resource to help schools prioritize for intensive academic intervention and the most effective strategies.

Formative Assessment in Distance Learning (Edutopia) – Recommendations of digital tools (and how to use them) to formatively assess student learning.

Learning Acceleration Guide: Planning for Acceleration in the 2020-21 School Year (TNTP) – Guidance to help school and district stakeholders responsible for planning organized around (a) how to create a plan to accelerate student learning, (b) how to accelerate student learning in the next two years, and (c) challenges to consider when planning to accelerate student learning.

Instructional Strategies for Virtual Learning (National Institute for Excellence in Teaching) – A tool that describes what key instructional indicators should look like and sound like when planning and delivering virtual learning.

Teleteaching Tips for Educators: Implementing with Success! (Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-tiered Model of Prevention) – A resource to support district and school leaders in using a tiered framework to support educators in shifting to continuous learning experiences.

1.C Feedback on Student Work

Students and families should have a clear understanding of student progress toward defined learning objectives.

OSSE Supports

Math Assessments with Edulastic – Strategies for how to formatively assess unfinished teaching/learning in a virtual format and options for differentiating digital assessments.

External Resources

How to do the Feedback Loop in Distance Learning (Teaching Channel) - Suggestions for how teachers (and student peers) can provide feedback in a distance learning environment.

1.D Student Attendance

Attendance should, at minimum, be tracked daily for all students.

OSSE Guidance

Collecting Attendance for the 2020-21 School Year – Guidance for LEAs on how to collect attendance during the 2020-21 school year, a year in which it is anticipated that compulsory education will take place both in-person and via distance learning.

External Resources

Attendance Playbook – Effective approaches to reducing chronic absenteeism in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, including how to encourage and track attendance under distance learning.

2.A Whole Student Supports

Addressing the needs of the whole student is essential for effective learning and remains an important function of LEAs, now more than ever.

OSSE Guidance

Meal Service – Details and policies relating to the provision of meals to students by local education agencies (LEAs) or School Food Authorities (SFAs) in the event of temporary or prolonged school closures.

Additional Guidance

Use of Telehealth (DC Health Regulation & Licensing Administration) – Guidance on use of telehealth services in the District of Columbia.

OSSE Supports

School Behavioral Health Universal Support Planning – This on-demand webinar discusses critical school behavioral health planning topics that support the whole school community, to include multi-tiered supports, effective direct service referral pathways, and crisis intervention and prevention. The password for this webinar is Expansion20. Presentation slides with hyperlinked resources can be viewed here.

Data to Action: Addressing Youth Risk Behavior Through Health Education – This guide elevates data trends from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and provides planning and implementation resources to support schools with integrating critical health and safety concepts into in-person and remote learning plans.

School Culture and Climate Planning Matrix – Support LEAs and schools with phased planning and implementation of policies, practices and engagement activities that support positive school climate, safe and supportive environments, and social-emotional learning during in-person and distance learning settings.

Upcoming OSSE Trainings

School Culture and Climate PD Opportunities – OSSE's Division of Teaching and Learning (TAL) has a robust offering of professional learning opportunities for DC educators on topics relevant to school culture and climate, including trauma-informed response, social and emotional learning (SEL), Restorative Justice practices, equity, positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS), and educator wellness and self-care. All OSSE TAL PD trainings open for registration are listed within OSSE's Training Registration application. In addition, educators can stay informed of upcoming PD opportunities by viewing the monthly 2020 TAL PD Bulletin. For technical assistance in specific content areas, please contact the relevant member of the TAL PD Team.

External Resources

Return to School During COVID-19: Helping Children and Families Manage Stress and Build Resilience (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) – Suggestions for how educators, parents, and families can structure their day, work towards more meaningful interactions, be conscious of and work towards better self-regulation, and more in order to positively impact a child’s experience and relationships with them.

Reunite, Renew, and Thrive: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Roadmap for Reopening School (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) – Guidance to help schools and leaders use SEL competencies to address the need on their return to in-person schooling.

Guidance on Adapting Check-in Check-out (CICO) for Distance Learning (Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports) – Considerations and suggestions for adapting CICO, and evidence-based Tier 2 school intervention, for situations where students are learning from home.

Building Equitable Learning Environments (BELE) in this Period of Crisis – COVID 19 and Systemic Racism – To Restore Our Collective Future (BELE Network) – A framework and resources to support educators in getting started with evidence-based approaches to advancing equitable learning environments during COVID-19.

Guidance and Support for Students Moving into Postsecondary (EdResearch for Recovery) – Strategies to consider for supporting student transitions from high school to college and career, given the financial and health uncertainties that students (particularly those who are marginalized and traditional underserved) are facing due to COVID-19.

Creating a PBIS Teaching Matrix for Remote Instruction (Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports) – Tips for maintaining continuous learning by defining classroom expectations during remote learning.

Getting Back to School After Disruptions (Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance Center) – Resources for making the school year safer, more positive, and more predictable following trauma resulting from various crises.

Questions and Answers Related to COVID-19: School Mental Health and Well-being (DC Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education) – Answers to questions that support the mental health and well-being of students and families.

2.B Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities retain all rights consistent with the law and should have their unique instructional and related-service needs met.

OSSE Guidance

Special Education Guidebook – Comprehensive guidance on LEA responsibilities under Part B of IDEA relating to the provision of FAPE in instances where LEAs are required to close their doors or limit access to buildings because of a local or national emergency, and transition to remote or hybrid learning models.

Special Education Guidance and FAQs – Collection of guidance documents and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) concerning LEA responsibilities under Part B of IDEA related to the provision of FAPE in where LEAs are required to close their doors or limit access to buildings because of a local or national emergency, and transition to remote or hybrid learning models.

OSSE Supports

LEA Toolkit: Serving Students with Disabilities in Remote and Blended Learning – Foundational guidance and concrete, actionable resources for LEAs as they establish and implement policies and procedures for remote and/or blended learning contexts that are consistent with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements. Within the toolkit, users will find the Sample Student Data Tool and User Guide, a recommended tool for centralizing and visualizing key student data and communications, as well as more than a dozen accompanying tools that can be customized to collect essential input from students, families, and educators who serve them.

Serving Students with Disabilities During Periods of Remote and Blended Learning Webinar – An overview of the three core principles for serving students with disabilities during times of remote or blended learning that are contained in the toolkit above. This webinar recording also highlights resources and sample forms that LEAs can adapt.

Part One: Balancing LEA Discretion and Flexibility Webinar – Will provide school leaders, special education points of contact, and special education teachers with concrete resources on balancing LEA discretion and flexibility in distance learning and hybrid contexts.  Presenters will share (a) examples of flexible and creative approaches for delivering a wide variety of services in the distance learning context, (b) ways to engage families in consideration of flexible options for service delivery, (c) examples of how LEAs can determine and address each family's level of access to technology and needs for support to effectively partner in remote service delivery, and (d) possible solutions to address gaps in access or readiness to partner for service delivery.

Part Two: Ensuring Transparency and Collaboration Webinar – Will provide school leaders with ways they can document meaningful parent engagement, flexibility in service delivery scheduling and provide examples for parent communication that is customer-service oriented.

Part Three: Data-driven Supports Webinar – Will provide school leaders with sample systems for collecting and reviewing data to develop student and family specific supports; as well as and ways to use data to consider the educational benefit received by the student.

Upcoming OSSE Trainings

Special Education PD Opportunities – OSSE’s Division of Teaching and Learning (TAL) has a robust offering of professional learning opportunities for DC educators on topics relevant to serving students with disabilities, including high leverage practices (HLPs) to support all students, high-quality IEPs series, secondary transition, and serving students with disabilities during periods of remote and blended learning. All OSSE TAL PD trainings open for registration are listed within OSSE's Training Registration application. In addition, educators can stay informed of upcoming PD opportunities by viewing the monthly 2020 TAL PD Bulletin. For technical assistance in specific content areas, please contact the relevant member of the TAL PD Team.

External Resources

Ready Now: Guide to Special Education Resources (Special Education Innovation Network) – Education technology resources to support special education practitioners and children and students with or at risk for disabilities.

Academic Supports for Students with Disabilities (EdResearch for Recovery) – Strategies for schools to reduce learning gaps between students with disabilities and their peers.

Best Special Education Apps and Websites (Common Sense Education) – Tools recommended by educators and experts who work with kids with special needs or learning differences. These apps address foundational skills, boost social and emotional skills, and help kids follow a schedule. There are also sites that help teachers differentiate learning and access resources for developing language and math literacy.

Online Learning and IDEA Educational Environments (Ages 6–21): Determining Educational Environments for Students With Disabilities (IDEA Data Center) – A technical assistance tool to use when considering the time students with disabilities spend in online learning and how that time should be counted when reporting IDEA educational environments.

Going the Distance: Online Strategies for Helping Students with Disabilities (Regional Educational Laboratory) – Promising practices on online learning for students with disabilities in four domains: professional development and teacher support, family engagement, accessibility, and instructional strategies to support personalization.

Dealing with Covid-19: Resources for Special Educators, Therapists, and Families (Smore) – Curated resources for those working with individuals who have developmental disabilities. Resources include videos, digital social distancing and hygiene posters, core vocabulary lessons, and more.

2.C English Learners

English learners (ELs) retain all rights consistent with the law and should have their unique instructional and language needs met.

OSSE Guidance

Serving English Learners During Distance Learning FAQ – Guidance on LEA responsibilities under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), other Federal laws related to ELs, District Municipal Regulations 5-E3101, the DC Language Access Act, and state EL policies and procedures.

Provisional Pre-K through Grade 12 English Learner Identification Procedure During Distance Learning – Guidance on a provisional EL identification procedure developed by OSSE in order to provide greater flexibility on the timing of full EL identification.

OSSE Supports

Strategies to Support English Learners During Learning at Home Presentation – Slide deck highlighting on four strategies to support ELs during distance learning.

Strategies to Boost and Support English Learners Participation During Learning at Home – Strategies to support EL students during distance learning and beyond.

Serving English Learners During Remote Learning Webinar – This webinar will supplement the EL During Remote Learning FAQ.

Part 1: Value English Learners’ Cultural and Linguistic Backgrounds Webinar – Train-the-trainer model to strengthen culturally-responsive approaches to supporting EL students’ wellbeing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and enhance the school’s responsiveness to these students in the coming year.

Part 2: Partner with English Learners’ Families Webinar – Actionable tools and resources for obtaining input from families on spring 2020 distance learning and the upcoming 2020-21 school year; and development of a family engagement plan to ensure ongoing communication with EL students and families.

Part 3: Provide Language Development and Academic Instruction Programs to English Learners Webinar – The purpose of this session is to analyze the key features of EL program models to plan for program implementation for in-person, online and hybrid delivery scenarios.

Upcoming OSSE Trainings

English Learner PD Opportunities – OSSE’s Division of Teaching and Learning (TAL) has a robust offering of professional learning opportunities for DC educators on topics relevant to serving English learners (ELs), including screening and identification procedures, making academic content accessible to all learners, strengthening families as partners, and serving ELs during periods of remote and blended learning. All OSSE TAL PD trainings open for registration are listed within OSSE's Training Registration application. In addition, educators can stay informed of upcoming PD opportunities by viewing the monthly 2020 TAL PD Bulletin. For technical assistance in specific content areas, please contact the relevant member of the TAL PD Team.

2.D Access to Technology

All students should have appropriate, secure and adequate access to the technology needed to participate fully in continuous education.

OSSE Guidance

Virtual Platform Safety Guidance – LEA and school considerations to ensure the safety and security of all students, families and educators.

External Resources

Disrupting the Digital Divide: Best Practices for DC Distance Learning (Accenture) – Best practices for (a) distribution of devices, (b) considerations for safety, (c) repairs of devices, and (d) effective tracking of devices.

DC Connectivity Resources (Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education) – Commercial connectivity resources available to LEAs and District students to help students stay connected through the 2020-21 school year.

3.A Family Partnerships

External Resources

REAL Family Engagement Guide (Flamboyan Foundation) – Best practices and ideas for getting REAL Family Engagement off the ground during distance learning and navigating what is sure to be an unusual school year.

Strategies to Engage Unreached Families (Flamboyan Foundation) – Strategies to engage families that have not been reached through previous outreach efforts to ensure that every family has access to the resources needed to support their child’s learning and supports to sustain their household’s wellness – physically, emotionally, mentally, and economically – during these difficult times.

3.B Family Communication

Communications to families should be comprehensive, proactive, accessible, and two-way.

OSSE Resources

Family Tools: Effective School-Home Communication – This document was designed for families and addresses the importance of effective school-family communication.

External Resources

Ongoing Communications Reflection Tool (Flamboyan Foundation) – A tool designed to encourage staff practice of building a trusting relationships and meaningful partnerships with families through ongoing communication.