School Reopening Resources

Resources to Help Charter Schools Navigate the Reopening Process

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August 3, 2020

As schools prepare for the 2020-21 school year, there are so many factors to consider. We know there is a lot of information out there, and it is difficult to keep track of all the updates. We’ve compiled a list of guidance and resources from government and health agencies as well as charter organizations to help school leaders quickly access the information they need to make critical decisions and prepare for the continued education of their students, be it through remote, hybrid, or in-person instruction.

The list includes national resources as well as links to state-specific guidance in states where EdTec currently has a presence.  We will update the list on an ongoing basis as more information becomes available.

 

National Resources

The Safe Reopening of Charter Schools by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

A collection of public resources on guidance for the safe reopening of charter schools.

State-Specific Resources

California

Stronger Together: A Guidebook for the Safe Reopening of California’s Public Schools by the California Department of Education

Released on June 8, this guidebook aims to support public school leaders as they work with local health officers to plan for the safe reopening of campuses and classrooms this fall.

COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Schools and School-Based Programs by the California Department of Public Health

Guidance on School Re-Openings by the California Charter Schools Association

A collection of curated research and guidelines for California schools.

Colorado

Planning the 2020-2021 School Year: A Framework and Toolkit for School and District Leaders for Feedback by the Colorado Department of Education

Reopening Schools: Health Guidance by COVID-19 Phase by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado Department of Education, and Colorado Governor’s Office

COVID-19 League Support by Colorado League of Charter Schools

Resources include news; weekly support calls by topic such as special education, instruction, and technology; and webinars.

Georgia

School Reopening Communications Toolkit by the Georgia Charter Schools Association and the State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia.

Resources include letters to families, reopening surveys, suggested social media posts, and CDC posters in multiple languages.

Georgia’s K-12 Restart and Recovery by the Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Department of Public Health

The report provides guidance to support districts and communities in developing plans for reopening schools.

Louisiana

School Reopening Guidelines and Resources by the Louisiana Department of Education

Reopening Guidance by the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools

A list of links to information on statewide and city-specific guidance on reopening schools.

Nevada

Nevada’s Path Forward: A Framework for a Safe, Efficient, and Equitable Return to School Buildings by the Nevada Department of Education

Guidance for Path Forward Programs of Distance Education by the Nevada Department of Education

A memo with information on minimum requirements for distance education plans, attendance requirements, hybrid learning, professional development, and more. All schools must submit a plan for a Path Forward Program of Distance Education as a contingency plan in the case of future school closures.

New Mexico

Reentry District and School Guidance by the New Mexico Department of Public Education

New York

Reopening Schools: Recover, Rebuild and Renew the Spirit of Our Schools by the New York State Department of Education and the Board of Regents

A website designed to help schools continue to educate students, whether in-person, remotely, or a combination of both.

School Reopening Resources by the New York State Department of Education and The Board of Regents

Resources for teachers and administrators as they plan for the 2020-21 school year.

Tennessee

School Reopening Toolkits and Guidance by the Tennessee Department of Education

A series of 20 toolkits provide guidance on topics such as school nutrition, transportation, special populations, technology, well-being and mental health, charter schools, and staffing.

School Reopening Toolkit: Charter Schools by the Tennessee Department of Education

A collection of checklists, best practices, and resources for charter schools as they prepare for a safe reopening.

 

We will update this list on an ongoing basis as more information becomes available. If you are aware of additional resources that you think would be helpful for us to share with other charters, please let us know in the comments section below!

Leading in a Crisis: Charter School Leaders Share Their Experiences

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June 25, 2020

Here at EdTec, supporting charter schools to succeed is at the heart of everything we do, day in and day out. As we navigate this difficult time together, this blog series will address various topics to help school leaders identify the tools, resources, and support they need to lead effectively.  

This time, we reached out to our charter partners to learn more about their experiences over the past few months, including how they’ve tackled distance learning challenges and supported their school communities, as well as what they expect for next school year. We’re grateful to share insights from school leaders at two of our partner schools: Ms. Jade Rivera, Founder/Executive Director of Albuquerque Collegiate Charter School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Dr. Hassan Dornayi, Principal of Para los Niños Charter Middle School in Los Angeles, California.  

 

What has been the biggest challenge of implementing a distance learning plan? How is your school tackling this challenge?

Ms. Jade Rivera: I think the biggest challenge of distance learning that we’ve faced is not being able to maintain the same systems, routines, and structures that are so integral to our school’s overall culture. Our teachers have worked hard to create and implement strong and predictable routines for Kindergarten-2nd grade students, which help our students experience that positive success every day, even if on an online platform.  

Dr. Hassan Dornayi: The uncertainty.  Things are constantly in flux and often you don’t know what things are going to look like even a month ahead, let alone the next school year. For us, this means that we need to be flexible for whatever might come our way.  We have a vision and plan moving forward, but also have in mind how we can change and update if and when we need to, while still ensuring our students and families have what they need to succeed. 

 

What has worked best for you when it comes to managing faculty and staff remotely? Do you have any tips for other school leaders who might be struggling to lead their team from a distance?   

Ms. Jade Rivera: In the normal school setting, we start every day with a quick 5-10 morning huddle. In light of the pandemic, we’ve shifted this to a beginning and end of week huddle. It’s certainly not perfect, but it gives us an opportunity to check in with one another, share wins and highlights from the week, as well as brainstorm how to tackle challenges together. We’ve also held a few informal Zoom happy hour chats, where we can just hang out as friends and share updates from our personal lives. I’ve certainly missed seeing my teammates every day. We’re so much more than just colleagues, they’re some of my closest friends. Connection, now more than ever, is so important.   

 

Are there any resources that have been especially helpful to your school during this time, that you would recommend to other school leaders? This could be an online learning resource but does not have to be – we’d also love to hear about other online tools, community resources, nonprofit organizations, etc.  

Ms. Jade Rivera: Our co-teaching model has lent itself well to collaboration and multi-pronged support for distance learning. Teachers were already used to working in tandem, so team teaching on Zoom with 2 adults per class was a fairly easy transition. Furthermore, it has been a huge help to have co-teachers for online lessons, with one teacher able to focus solely on instruction and the other teacher able to help with technology needs, of both students and teachers.   

 

Are there any unique actions your school is taking to support teachers, students, and/or families that you would like to share with other schools?

Dr. Hassan Dornayi: We are constantly pushing for ways to not just support our students, but also how to support their families.  A student can’t succeed if they don’t have safe, stable, and secure homes. Our integrated services work to ensure our students and families thrive – through education and wraparound support to address concrete needs, and build sustainable growth. These times have been challenging for students and families in a number of ways and we can’t expect students to be academically successful if we haven’t supported their other needs as well.  

 

What has worked well for your school when it comes to supporting students with learning disabilities?  

Ms. Jade Rivera: Our special education teacher maintains very close communication with our special education students and ancillary providers, which helped a great deal when transitioning to online provided services. Continuous communication and flexibility have been absolutely necessary to ensuring our scholars maintain their provided services and learning opportunities.   

 

How do you think the extended school closures will impact “business as usual” once schools reopen? What will learning look like then?

Ms. Jade Rivera: One thing is certain, school will look and feel different come the fall. Our hope is that we are able to continue to implement a strong academic program for all students, while being incredibly thoughtful about the safety and health measures we put in place for everyone in our building.  

Dr. Hassan Dornayi: I think everyone will need to take on the approach of doing whatever is needed to meet a student where they are and address their needs, whether it be fully online or a hybrid model.  I think for our teachers, because many of them are already going above and beyond to help our children, this will be an easier adaptation. Schools that don’t already have an integrated model like ours in place might need to have more preparation to determine where the students’ needs are and how they can help them persevere. 

 

Have you been able to connect with other school leaders during this time to share resources or advice? How has this helped you to work through challenges?   

Ms. Jade Rivera: I’ve been really fortunate to be able to connect with both local New Mexico leaders, as well as leaders from charter schools across the country. These connections have been tremendously helpful as we worked to design our distance learning plan, and as we begin to think about a hopeful return to school in the fall. Beyond the practical sharing of resources and ideas, it has also been a great support to have a network of colleagues who fully understand the challenges of the work.  

 

Share something good that has come out of this for your school.  

Ms. Jade Rivera: Our families have been so supportive throughout this entire process. From ensuring students stay engaged in their learning, to helping us creatively celebrate our teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week, they have never wavered in their backing and care for our school community. We are lucky to have them.

Dr. Hassan Dornayi: This crisis and transition to remote connection, has shown what an amazing culture we have at the middle school.  We started teaching the Monday after we went on ‘shelter in place’ and our teachers haven’t looked back.  We have virtual classes, assemblies, and connections with our students that keep our positive attitudes and collaborative spirit alive. It has been incredible to be part of this effort.  

While every charter school is different and what works for one school might not work for another, many charter school leaders have found it helpful to hear from their peers to get a fresh perspective and be inspired to try news ways to serve students and families during this challenging time. We hope you found these insights to be helpful, and we would love to hear what has worked well for your school, too – please share your thoughts in the comment section below! 

Leading in a Crisis: Engaging with Prospective Families During School Closures

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June 18, 2020

Here at EdTec, supporting charter schools to succeed is at the heart of everything we do, day in and day out. As we navigate this difficult time together, this blog series will address various topics to help school leaders identify tools, resources, and support that can help them lead effectively. This time, we’re providing a few ideas about how schools can utilize virtual and online tactics to engage with prospective families and drive enrollment for next school year and beyond, and have included a few examples of how our school partners and others are already doing that. We are not recommending or endorsing any particular tools or products, but simply sharing a few ideas for inspiration and further discussion among school leadership teams.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, charter schools relied heavily on in-person enrollment strategies such as school tours and special events that showcase student life and the programs and activities the school has to offer. But what happens when prospective families can’t get to campus?   

Like organizations in other fields, there is an opportunity for charter schools to tell their stories and keep their audiences engaged through the use of creative virtual events and other online tactics. We’ve pulled together a few ideas for how your school can focus on digital efforts to move prospective families from consideration to enrollment. Please note that like any other school activities, these ideas and approaches all have to be planned and carried out in accordance with all school policies and legal/ regulatory requirements.  

Social Media

Now is the time to use social media to connect with current and prospective families and the community at large. With many establishments closed for business as usual, folks are using social media now more than ever, and there is an opportunity for school leaders to use the tools at their disposal to foster engagement.  Before sharing photos or video content on your school’s social media accounts, website, or any other online medium, make sure you reference your school’s media release policy to ensure you are in compliance and only sharing content featuring those students whose parents or guardians have given the appropriate permissions. 

Keep Up with Posting

Rather than curtail your use of social media or scale down on posting, use it as a tool to tell your school’s story and provide a sense of connection within your community. You can use social media to share how the school is handling distance learning and supporting students and families, as well as to highlight what makes the school unique. As one example, Para Los Niños shared quotes from teachers about why they enjoy teaching at the school during Teacher Appreciation Week. These posts serve to both celebrate teachers as well as communicate the school’s strengths to prospective families.

If you could use some inspiration to help you create visually-appealing social media posts, Canva is a free, user-friendly graphic design tool that offers fun, customizable templates and the ability to design communications sized for multiple social media platforms and other uses. You can also upgrade to a paid model to unlock additional graphics and upload your organization’s official colors and logos for easy reference. Canva can also be used to design and order printed materials.  

Utilize Video

Video on social media is a great way to introduce your school to prospective families. You can ask current students, teachers, and administrators to record short clips about their experience at the school using their phones; these clips can be shared on their own or combined into a longer video about the school. Video is a great way to bring your school to life during this crisis. Albuquerque Collegiate put together videos celebrating their teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. The videos not only highlight the school’s great teachers, but also touch on why the students like their school. Your school’s videos don’t have to be tied to a specific holiday; anytime is a good time to share stories about how your school community is staying connected, engaged, and inspired during this period of distance learning.  

Go Live!

Going live presents an in-the-moment opportunity for your school to engage with families. Your school can utilize live features on either Facebook or Instagram to host Q&A sessions with prospective families. During this series of live sessions, school leaders can answer questions from prospective families about the school’s mission and vision, academic and extracurricular programs, and how the school is responding to the crisis. Buffalo Creek Academy, a school scheduled to open in Fall 2020, holds a twice-daily broadcast on Facebook Live and Instagram Live to share information about their mission and academic programs as well as answer questions from participants. Synergy Academies hosted a live event on Instagram’s IGTV video app the night before college signing day to announce where their seniors would be attending college in the fall.  

Create Facebook Groups

Your school can use Facebook groups to connect current and prospective students and families. As a moderator of your school’s private Facebook group, you can share important updates while creating a safe place for prospective families to ask questions. It is important that you set guidelines at the start regarding the goal of the group as well as expectations for conduct.   

Virtual Events

Across the country, schools are finding unique ways to tap into virtual events to promote their enrollment efforts, such as hosting virtual school tours. In the absence of campus tours and in-person interactions, virtual events provide an opportunity for schools to continue their enrollment efforts. Below are a few ways that your school can use virtual events to meet families where they are and give them the information they’re looking for.   

Virtual Tours

Virtual tours are the new school tours during this time of school closure. It is a great way to engage prospective families and provide an on-campus experience without asking anyone to leave their homes. Success Academies used a sophisticated web-based application to put together this virtual tour of an elementary school. For schools looking for a quicker or less expensive option, a virtual tour can be recorded by anyone using a phone or video equipment, and they can even narrate the tour to include examples of activities that take place in each part of the campus. If your school doesn’t have access to this equipment or the campus is not open for access right now, you can utilize existing photos to put together a presentation that describes the campus so that prospective parents and students can visualize what it might be like to attend school there.  

Virtual Information Sessions

Your school can organize virtual information sessions or town halls by using a video conferencing platform you are familiar with, such as Zoom.  These town halls can follow the format of a typical school information session,  where an administrator gives an introduction to the school and moderates the event, and other staff or school ambassadors (including teachers, students, and parents) participate by sharing their experiences and taking questions from the audience. Always make sure to check your video conference platform’s security recommendations to minimize the risk of unwelcome guests and other concerns.   

To help ensure the event runs smoothly, require folks to register in advance; this way, you can manage crowd size and know what to expect. You can also request that participants submit questions in advance so you and your team can assign them to the person most equipped to answer and prepare to have the information needed to provide a meaningful response.   

Ethos Classical Charter School gives prospective families the option to set-up a one-on-one information session by using the Calendly scheduling tool. A callout is included on their home page, along with an email address for those with questions. The sessions are led by members of the school’s leadership team.  

To advertise the event, post the details on your website and share it on social media. Include links to additional information and prompt folks to sign-up, if applicable. You can also record these town halls and post them on your school’s website and social media to both build your content bank and share it with those who weren’t able to participate live.  

Just like with in-person events, it’s important that everyone who represents the school during virtual events has had the training to ensure consistent and appropriate messaging. 

Other Virtual Sessions

Beyond more formal virtual events such as town halls, some schools are planning virtual office hours or “coffee chats with the principal”. While most of these events target current families who may have urgent questions about the school’s distance learning plan, they can also be used as a fun, informal way to engage with prospective students and parents. 

Schools may also want to consider thematic virtual events that target specific interests. For example, school leaders could partner with a few coaches to organize a “virtual sports chat” to share information about the school’s athletic programs and accolades as well as take questions from prospective students interested in joining sports teams.  A similar event could be organized with college and career counselors to discuss the school’s track record with college admissions and spotlight a few students who were recently accepted into the colleges of their choice.  

Website

Your school website is a primary source of information about your school, and it’s the first place many current and prospective families go when they have a question. Families are likely looking for information about how the school is responding to the current environment and how it might impact the school’s plans for next school year. It is important that your website includes a section about how learning continues at your school, and that your home page includes a straightforward link to this section, so visitors don’t have to dig for it. 

Create New Landing Pages for Virtual Events

Since your school’s website is a primary source of information, it is an ideal place to include details about all your public-facing virtual events. A good way to make the event information easily accessible is to create a new page dedicated to promoting your virtual events. This page would host the event details along with registration information, if necessary. You can also use this page as a media hub and post photos and videos that highlight your school’s mission, culture, and achievements. Method Modern Public Schools has an events page that also includes links to virtual tours of universities, museums, and other sites with no specific dates attached.  

To encourage attendance at your virtual events, include them in the newsfeed on your home page for increased visibility, and link to them on your social media. 

Provide Enrollment Information

To make things simple for parents and students looking to submit an open enrollment form, include all relevant deadlines and information on your website and link to it on your homepage so it is easy to find. You can also provide a form on the website where parents can submit questions and get answers regarding enrollment and/or address this information on a frequently asked questions page (more on this below). 

Create a Frequently Asked Questions Page

Create a Frequently Asked Questions page to address the most common questions you receive from parents. You could include questions about enrollment, academic and extracurricular programs, and school culture, and also use this as an opportunity to highlight what makes your school unique so that parents don’t have to search for it elsewhere. Rocketship Public Schools has a robust FAQ page that also includes questions and answers about charter schools to address common misconceptions.  

Protect Yourself! 

While there are lots of creative ideas and easy–to–use technology tools for virtually engaging with current families in your school community and prospective families, it is always advisable to step back and to evaluate in advance what is to be shared online by your school, and by representatives of your school, for appropriateness, compliance, and security.  Leverage the appropriate legal and related expertise, including recommended training for your team, for smoother virtual family engagement. 

While school doors are closed for the remainder of this school year, now is the time to look ahead and think about how you will make next year a success. Although using in-person events as an enrollment marketing tool is unlikely for the near future, there is still a tremendous opportunity for your school to use digital tools such as social media and virtual events to build up your enrollment pipeline.

From Crisis Management to Strategic Planning: A Four-Step Framework

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(Part One of a Two-Part Series)

By Guest Blogger Annie Crangle, Partner, Friday

In the last few weeks, I’ve spoken with school administrators, lawyers, financial advisors, and educational consultants about the new realities that K-12 schools are about to encounter. As you can imagine, these conversations have felt overwhelming. This pandemic has underscored our vulnerability, the inequities that persist in our society and education system, and outdated elements in the way some of our schools are designed.

Teachers are finding it hard to give kids the consistency and structure they need to thrive from a distance. One school leader is finding that Montessori’s hands-on principles aren’t easy to adapt to an online platform. And critical social-service nonprofits are cutting their workforces, putting additional stress on schools that can’t be addressed by digital learning curriculums.

It’s not surprising to see education leaders hustle, scramble, and innovate in response to the crisis. You’ve worked hard to provide equitable transitions for the children and families that you serve, and have, in many instances, overcome challenges surprisingly fast. But as the immediate crisis turns into our everyday reality, some of the long-term challenges seem even more daunting: How will we transition students back into a daily school routine that will look much different from before? How will teachers make up for lost learning? How will we plan for 2021 and beyond knowing budget cuts are inevitable and health protocols will fluctuate?

Having spent the past seven years guiding schools in strategic planning processes, I’ve seen first hand the value in this type of planning (pre- and post-pandemic). While a school’s charter outlines your commitment to the students you serve, a strategic plan allows you to brainstorm where you want to go next without worrying about compliance requirements. Make no mistake: A strategic plan is a serious document, but the process and outcome provide much-needed freedom to explore what’s working well, what isn’t working well, and what you aspire to achieve long term.

In the midst of all of this change, schools have a unique opportunity to innovate: Whether by choice or out of necessity, we’re likely to see a fundamental redesign of the school model, including tech advancements, more equitable digital access, smaller class sizes, adjusted school calendars, even dramatic restructuring of teacher and staff time.

 Based on strategic planning best practices, we encourage school leaders to:

  • Analyze what’s likely to change your students’ and families’ lives and the education sector at large;
  • Consider your school’s anticipated needs and evolving demands, the relevance of your current model, and overall capabilities;
  • Create a list of threats and opportunities; and
  • Identify your long-term vision for the next 5-10 years, then plan the steps you need to take each year to reach that destination.

From our experience leading strategic planning for public charter schools across the state of California, we’ve developed a framework to help schools emerge on the other side of change in a way that’s aligned to their identity and responsive to the needs of their community.

Let’s jump in.

Gather your leadership team and answer four broad questions to develop the essential building blocks of an effective plan:

1. What opportunities and challenges do we face? Develop a clear picture of our new reality and identify the most pressing challenges and risks to our model and the communities we serve.

For example, in addition to tracking economic, health, and policy trends and potential implications for your school, can you also say with certainty how the needs of your students, families, and staff have shifted? Perhaps some staff, students, and parents in your community are struggling to use the technology needed to sustain remote learning; or maybe some students need more social-emotional support.

2. How will we adapt? Sharpen your focus on the critical model and operational shifts and opportunities for innovation.

In other words, how must you change to respond? For example, given your learning targets, and the challenges of distance learning, identify new methods of teacher collaboration and professional development to equip teachers with new skills.

And how might you change to creatively meet the shifting needs? For example, for your most vulnerable students, how could you tap into young people in your community who are temporarily out of work or school to volunteer, as a way to increase individual and small group tutoring and/or mentorship for students? 

3. What’s our plan for making it happen? Map a realistic and financially viable short-term action plan; brainstorm near-term opportunities and long-term vision.

Map three potential scenarios based on different projections of health and financial status. Prioritize action steps in terms of urgency (i.e., How likely are we to need to do this?) and impact (i.e., How much will this impact our ability to serve students and families?). 

A high-priority item might be re-structuring staff given budget shortfalls, or developing a new calendar and facility plan to accommodate social-distancing requirements; a medium-priority item might be identifying donors for needed technology resources; a low-priority item might be reaching out to local colleges or universities for volunteers.

Think about what it will take to implement fundamental changes and introduce new programming (staff time, scheduling, possible stipends, etc.), while also planning for various possible financial and health scenarios. Before launching any new initiatives, also consider scheduling a focus group with your target audience to make sure the program is designed effectively.

4. How will we communicate effectively? Develop your message and communicate key shifts to your students, families, staff, and partners.

How will you keep your community informed of critical updates? How will you let them know about new opportunities and resources? (Newsletter, social media, website updates, etc.) You should also think about how you will measure the results so you can revisit periodically and make adjustments as needed.

While we recognize it is impossible to plan for every change, we believe if schools are supported to plan, they will emerge stronger on the other side of this crisis.

In our next post, we’ll help you answer each strategic question in-depth and share key insights from our experience guiding a cohort of schools through an 8-week planning process.

If you need more immediate support and you’re interested in doing this work with other school leaders facing similar challenges, consider joining Friday’s strategic planning cohort, launching the last week of May. Over an 8-week period, our team and network of expert advisors in the areas of operations, finance, legal, and school performance will guide school teams through a step-by-step process to systematically address the complexity of challenges your school is facing and to organize your team’s response.

Resources to Help Schools Navigate the COVID-19 Crisis

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Originally published March 12, 2020; last updated July 9, 2020

Amid growing concerns of the rising threat of the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, many governments, businesses, families, and schools are facing the responsibility of developing a response plan. School leaders also need to be ready to answer questions from concerned students, parents, and staff, as well as consider alternative learning models to support continued education in the event of a school closure.    

We know there is a lot of information out there, and it is hard to keep track of all the updates. We gathered a list of resources from government and health agencies as well as charter organizations so that we can all be better equipped to help prevent the spread of the virus, minimize the impact of disruptions, and proactively communicate our plans with those who depend on us. This list will be updated on an ongoing basis as more information becomes available.  

National Resources 

The Safe Reopening of Charter Schools by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

A collection of public resources on guidance for the safe reopening of charter schools.

Guidance for Administrators of US Childcare Programs and K-12 Schools by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

This interim guidance is intended to help administrators of public and private childcare programs and K-12 schools prevent the spread of COVID-19 among students and staff. 

COVID-19 Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel by the U.S. Department of Education  

Useful information, resources, trainings, and tools for addressing infectious diseases, related topics, and protecting the school community. 

COVID-19 Resources for Charter Schools by the National Alliance For Public Charter Schools

A collection of information from trusted partners to help schools support their staff and families, including guidance on federal resources, SBA loans, distance learning, and educational equity, as well as a list of upcoming webinars. The website also includes links to information from state charter support organizations. 

Map: Coronavirus and School Closures by Education Week 

The coronavirus outbreak in the United States is prompting K-12 education leaders to shut down individual schools or entire districts. Track where closures are happening and how many students are affected. 

State-Specific Resources  

California 

Stronger Together: A Guidebook for the Safer Opening of California’s Public Schools

Released on June 8, this guidebook aims to support public school leaders as they work with local health officers to plan for the safe reopening of campuses and classrooms this fall.

Coronavirus Information and Resources by the California Department of Education

New additions as of May 11, 2020 include comprehensive guidance on topics such as distance learning, mental health, school meals, special education, and child care and student supervision, as well as a new statewide benefit program to help food insecure students.

COVID-19 Resources by California Charter Schools Association  

CCSA is providing California charter schools with guidance and sample resources to support planning and communications to your school community.  

Colorado  

COVID-19 Resources for Schools by the Colorado Department of Education  

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has created COVID-19 fact sheets, guidance for schools and childcare providers and more.  

COVID-19 League Support by Colorado League of Charter Schools

Resources include news, a member survey designed to understand urgent needs, weekly support calls, and virtual learning webinars.

Georgia 

COVID-19 and Schools by the Georgia Department of Education  

Detailed guidance for school districts on the preparations to take to prepare for the potential spread of COVID-19. 

COVID-19 Guidance and Resources for Schools, Students and Families by Georgia Charter Schools Association

Information on topics such as assessment and accountability, special education, meal service, and paid sick leave, as well as a list of online resources for students and teachers.

Louisiana

COVID-19 Resources and Guidance for Schools by Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools

Includes guidance on remote learning, free family resources, and communication support such as sample letters to families.

COVID-19 Information and Resources by the Louisiana Department of Education

Up-to-date guidance for schools as well as resources for families such as a list of school meal sites and a toolkit to support learning at home.

Nevada 

COVID-19 Resources by Nevada Department of Education

Tips and resources to keep Nevada’s communities safe and healthy, including online resources for schools, students, and families, and mental health resources.

CSAN COVID-19 Information by the Charter School Association of Nevada

Resources include a list of frequently asked questions and a list of local food banks to share with families.

New Mexico 

COVID-19 Resources for Schools by the New Mexico Public Education Department  

Includes the most current information as well as protocols, procedures, and best practices for all schools.  

Continuing to Learn by NewMexicoKidsCAN

This report includes summaries of distance learning plans from every district and charter school across the state.

New York 

COVID-19 Information and Guidance for Schools by the New York State Education Department  

This guide provides an update on measures needed to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak as well as recommended interventions and community containment measures including a checklist for schools to assist in planning.  

COVID-19/Coronavirus Updates by the New York Charter Schools Association

A collection of guidance published by state and federal education and health agencies, as well as links to charter-specific tools and resources.

Tennessee  

Update on Coronavirus by Tennessee Department of Education  

The Tennessee Department of Education has prepared guidance for education leaders to help support them in making the best possible local decisions for their students, schools, and communities.  

COVID-19 Resources by Tennessee Charter School Center

A list of information and resources on topics such as online and at-home learning, education of vulnerable populations, and nutrition.

This is a very challenging time, but we know educators and school leaders are uniquely equipped to demonstrate perseverance and leadership. Here at EdTec we’ll be monitoring the situation closely and will provide updated resources as needed.   

Developing A Human-Centered Approach to Community Engagement

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By Jeremy Divinity, Marketing Specialist

September 25, 2019

It’s not only important to identify a school’s most significant stakeholders, it’s also essential to engage with them. This is where the idea of community engagement comes into play. Community engagement is the active participation and shared responsibility for student success between school, families, and the community. Research has proven that active community engagement can improve school readiness, academic achievement, and graduation rates.

When it comes to community engagement for charter schools, it’s beneficial to take a human-centered approach. Human-centered engagement approaches engagement from a place of deep understanding and is a way to help ensure that your community engagements are collaborative. This approach places emphasis on understanding the community’s values and hearing the families’ voices. Empathy drives the idea of human-centered engagement.

There are many ways school leaders can develop a human-centered community engagement strategy to support learning and development. Here are a few helpful recommendations for the various stakeholder groups.

Parent Engagement

Your school’s parents and families want the best for their kids, so fostering relationships with them is critical to student success. Often, parents feel like they aren’t contributing to their child’s education, which can make them feel unheard or unvalued. Involving parents within the school through active engagement efforts that communicate their roles and responsibilities as members of the school community is mutually beneficial.

You can start by asking a guiding question of “What can you tell me or what can we do that will help us to help your child learn or meet specific academic goals?”

When school leaders and parents actively co-create and co-design, it leads to the development of better programs and services that benefit students. This process begins with developing a family engagement action plan. This action plan should focus on fostering a welcoming school climate, identifying the leaders’ roles in creating a welcoming school climate, and investing in families to meet school goals.

When it comes to developing a welcoming environment, it’s essential to be visible and approachable. Enhance the experience of parents with the school through increased access to teachers and staff. First impressions are made in the front office. Michelle Gayle, a principal from Tallahassee emphasizes the importance of a friendly front office, “Office staff, teachers, and aides all take responsibility for making sure guests feel welcomed in the front office. Saying hello, providing useful information, and having a warm smile all make a difference.”

Lastly, go the extra mile! Don’t wait for parents to come in voluntarily but engage by actively reaching out. Outreach is a very human activity and can take many forms. Each touchpoint outside of the school setting, such as home visits, can make parents feel welcomed and valued as an integral part of their child’s education.

Engagement with the Broader Community

It isn’t just parents who are critical to student success and achievement; the broader community plays a role as well.

One human-centered approach to engaging the community is to create a Community Advisory Council. The council can include teachers, parents, and leaders of local businesses and organizations. A goal of the council is to identify challenges faced by both the school and the community so the two groups can work together to solve those challenges.

Like parent engagement, engaging the community requires open dialogue. In addition to the community advisory council, there are other initiatives you can take to further community participation in the school’s mission and vision. A two-way dialogue starts with inquiring the community through conversation by means of forums, surveys, canvassing, and focus groups. Townhall meetings are another way to have your ear to the voice of the community. The overall goal of inquiring initiatives is to foster relationships between your school and the community.

The other side of the dialogue is to inform the community using both traditional and non-traditional communication tools. These tools include newsletters, mailings, blogs, email, open houses, picnics, and various workshops. It’s vital to begin outreach early and consistently. Informing the community helps the community to stay in touch with what’s happening, and helps you to proactively build a network of supporters for your school.

Partnership Engagement

“I think a great partnership begins with organizations and individuals who can check logos and egos at the door and focus on what needs to get done. It’s being able to use a strengths-based approach and ask, who does what well, and then supporting that work of one another,” said Carrie Holden, president, and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound.

A human-centered approach to community partnerships can provide the needed resources and benefits for school success and is a great way to leverage your school’s limited resources. There are three types of partnerships to consider: partnerships with non-profit organizations such as community organizations, cultural institutes, and education institutes; partnerships with for-profit organizations such as local businesses; and partnerships with public agencies such as public-health organizations, government, and police.

It’s critical to ensure that your partnerships within the community are natural partners. To do so, first identify the strengths of each organization through open communication, focusing on how it can support students’ social, emotional, and academic development, and how this work advances the organization’s mission. Partnerships should address gaps in the school’s abilities to serve students as this approach also provides opportunities for businesses and educators to join forces, rather than duplicate efforts, and work together to enhance outcomes for the community’s youth.

For community partners, a partnership with a charter school is beneficial to expand the reach of their services and work toward the fulfillment of their goals. As an example, many museums conduct outreach to schools to integrate their programs into the school curriculum and fulfill part of their organizational missions. For charter schools, community partnerships can help in providing needed resources in terms of facilities, funding, curriculum instruction, and other administrative support. To use the example with museums, schools benefit from receiving free educational tools and experiences to incorporate into underfunded programs.

A charter school in Memphis enriched its music program by sharing a space with a museum that was commemorating a renowned record label. As a part of the partnership, the museum brought in the Memphis Symphony Orchestra to formally mentor students. As a result of this partnership, the museum advanced its mission, and the school benefited from access to resources that resulted in a stronger music program for its students.

Implementing Engagement Strategies

A human-centered approach to community engagement starts with empathetically listening to both parents and the community alike, and then creating opportunities for these stakeholders to get involved and help to work together to boost school and student success. The key signs of success may range from increased parent attendance and participation in school events, to improved student achievement!

Have you implemented successful community engagement strategies at your school? Let us know about it in the comment section!

 

Facts about Charter Schools

Watch Your Language! How We Can Use Our Words to Reinforce Facts About Charter Schools.

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By Melanie Horton, Senior Marketing Manager

August 8, 2019

With so many myths out there about charter schools, it’s important that we as advocates use language that encourages the spread of accurate information about our schools. This is just as important when communicating with others in our own school communities, from parents to teachers to local leaders, so that we continue to cement the very concepts that drew us to charter schools in the first place.

Charter schools are public schools. We often hear people – inside and outside the movement – referring to local district schools as “public schools” and our schools as “charter schools”. Since charter schools are public schools, we should not reserve the label of “public” for district schools, and we should instead refer to district schools as just that – district schools. Both charter schools and district schools fall under the umbrella of public schools. You may also want to consider referring to charter schools as “public charter schools” to further drive home the message.

Open Enrollment. One myth that exists about charter schools is that we’re allowed to “cherry pick” our students by administering admissions exams. Let’s make sure we always use the term “Open Enrollment” and not “Admissions”, as some may associate “admissions” with the private school or college admissions process, which involves determination based on academic record and other factors.

When open enrollment rolls around, we need to collect prospective students’ personal information so that we may enter them into a lottery for the available spaces at the school, and we do this by asking their families to fill out paperwork.  Instead of referring to this paperwork as an application, which implies a selection process (or at the very last, a formal review and determination by a greater authority), let’s aim to use another term such as “form”. While it’s true that the form must be reviewed to ensure compliance with a charter school’s lottery guidelines, we do not want to imply that students are being evaluated or judged in any way. This might seem like a small detail, but the words we use can have powerful implications that either support or detract from the truth about charter schools.

To reinforce that all students are eligible for enrollment in charter schools so long as they meet the requirements outlined in the lottery guidelines approved by the schools’ authorizer, we can post these guidelines at the school and remind stakeholders that students are randomly selected during the lottery.

Accountability. We often hear from critics that charter schools aren’t accountable and don’t have to abide by the same rules as district schools; that charters can “do whatever they want”. While charter schools have some regulatory freedoms relative to district schools, which allow charter schools to meet the unique needs of their communities, we accept this flexibility in exchange for increased accountability for student and operational results. New charter schools are required to submit a robust charter application that outlines the school’s proposed educational program, governance structure, budget, and additional details specific to each authorizer, and must renew their application every few years in order to continue existing (how often depends on the authorizer).

Renewing a charter school involves submitting a charter renewal application in which the school must show tangible progress toward the goals laid out in the original petition.  Schools may be denied renewal for poor academic performance or financial mismanagement, so this is serious business.

Let the members of your community know how charter schools are held fully accountable in a multitude of areas throughout the year as well as how they are required to prove – every few years – whether they’ve earned the privilege of continuing to serve their students and families. We can communicate our accountability by keeping our stakeholders in the loop when we’re going through the renewal process or fulfilling another local compliance requirement. This can be as simple as briefly sharing these milestones and achievements in the employee and parent newsletters and at board meetings.

Let’s remind the people of our communities – across the spectrum of advocates, critics, and the uninformed – that charter schools are about choice, accountability, and innovation.

What other positive language suggestions do you have for charter school advocates? We’d love to hear from you and build out our recommendations. Leave us a note in the comments section!

Finalizing Your Charter School Budget

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By Dena Koren, Senior Director of Client Management 

Updated May 2019 (originally published in June 2017)

The end of the school year is upon us, and many charter schools are scrambling to put the finishing touches on their budgets for the 2019-2020 school year. This can be overwhelming given all the moving parts —finalizing staff compensation, collecting final proposals for next year’s contracts, deciding which software and curriculum to use, tracking down budget plans from all the department leads, and preparing to present to your Board of Directors… all while trying to finish out the school year!

Here’s my advice: Don’t sweat it! There is no way you are going to have all these items finalized by the time you need to send your budget to the board for approval. Plus, there are many aspects of the budget that are completely out of your control. Instead of worrying, try this approach:

  1. Pick two or three areas of the charter school budget you’re going to focus on in the 11th hour. These should be areas of the charter school budget that are either your most significant sources of revenue or expense or have caused problems in the past. And don’t pick “staff”! (See my next suggestion below for wrapping up your compensation budget.) Once you have picked your areas of focus, set aside a designated time (~30 minutes for each area) to dig in and try to firm up the assumptions — then put a bow on it! Once the new school year starts and you have access to new and/or updated information, you can work with your Finance Director or adviser to adjust the annual forecast.
  2. For staffing, again — do your best! Finalize the charter school budget with the information you know now and include reasonable and conservative assumptions for the things you don’t know.At some point, you must stop trying to get everything locked up and just go with what you have. But being conservative will help you to avoid the frustration of going over budget down the road.
  3. Make a list of the areas where you feel assumptions aren’t solid, and over the summer, push to solidify them. Also, be upfront with your board about the areas of uncertainty (note: no need to share every uncertainty, just the ones you feel are the biggest opportunities/risks.) I find that outlining the missing information at a high level strengthens the board’s comfort with the financial plan. Board members will appreciate the transparency and feel reassured knowing you are aware of the uncertainties and on top of all the moving parts.
  4. For most charter schools, budgeting is an art, not a science. There are countless details, many of them unknown or unknowable, so we just do our best with what we have and keep pushing for improved clarity as the year goes on!

EdTec supports startup charter schools with building strong, compliant charter application budgets, and we work with operating schools to put together annual budgets as part of our back office services. To learn more about EdTec and discuss how we can support your school, please email us at askus@edtec.com.

Engaging Parents as a Powerful Marketing Tool

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By Melanie Horton, Senior Marketing Manager

April 29, 2019

When thinking about how to spread the word about our charter schools and create an enrollment pipeline for future years, we often target parents of prospective students. We organize school tours, hang up flyers at community events, and advertise upcoming open enrollment dates on the school marquee. These are all smart, important marketing actions, but we also need to remember to pay attention to our largest group of built-in ambassadors: parents of current students! When parents are happy, good news about our schools will spread among their networks through word-of-mouth – a powerful marketing tool that can also do much damage if this important stakeholder group is unhappy or ignored.

Assess the Current Situation

Before you can attract new families to your school, you want to make sure the current school community is satisfied with your performance, so you’re not caught off guard when parents of prospective students ask you to explain something they’ve heard. Parents of current students are a great resource when you want an honest review of what is going well and what isn’t. Here are a few easy, helpful ways to solicit parent feedback.

Annual Surveys

Most schools already administer an annual parent survey as a state requirement. Take advantage of this opportunity to understand how happy parents are with current school operations, including areas such as extracurricular activities and course offerings. Make sure the survey is comprehensive but not too long, as we want to encourage high response and completion rates. It’s also important to include optional, open-ended questions that do not limit answer choices. This way, you’re making it easy for busy parents to provide quick feedback, while also giving those with more to say an opportunity to share their thoughts.

Consider sharing the survey results in a parent newsletter or other medium; the more transparent you are with the results; the more parents will feel you recognize and care about what they have to say. It doesn’t stop there, though – to show parents that we value them as critical members of our school communities, we must show a commitment to progress toward improvement. For example, if most parents reveal they are less than satisfied with the availability of extracurricular activities, open this up for discussion at committee and board meetings and invite parents to join a task force to explore options. If we’re all talk and no action, parents will eventually catch on and assume the school has no interest in their opinions.

Focus Groups

While surveys are a great way to get high-level feedback about broad categories of school operations, it’s also important to be able to take a deeper dive into more specific topics. We can accomplish this by organizing parent focus . Keep the groups on the small side – no more than ten participants – so that all parents have the chance to speak up and don’t feel overwhelmed by a large group. Make sure to offer participants the chance to provide written feedback as well in case there is something they don’t feel comfortable sharing in a group setting. While you can still structure the discussion around more broad categories to make sure you touch on various topics, be sure to invite parents to comment on anything that is on their mind.

During the focus groups, make sure to encourage participants to share thoughts about what they are happy with as well as what they think needs improvement, so we know where we should continue to focus resources and where we might need to make changes. For example, if parents share that they are dissatisfied with the current library hours, school leadership can open this up for discussion at committee and board meetings to decide if it is financially and operationally feasible to extend library hours. If parents express excitement at the new STEM-focused programs, we know this is a valuable investment we should continue to explore.

The focus group initiative can be led by a school site council, on its own or in collaboration with a parent advisory group. It’s important to advertise the focus groups in multiple places to encourage participation of diverse groups. For example, schools can include a call for focus group participants in the parent newsletter, in materials for various parents’ group meetings, or by making an announcement at a parent event such as a regular “Coffee with the Principal” or information night. While continuity among participants is important and helps us to stay accountable, we should open the groups to new participants every now and then to make sure we’re receiving feedback that is representative of our audience. If the group gets too big, it can be split into multiple groups. In terms of meeting frequency, because these are more intimate conversations that we want to be able to build on, try to meet two or three times per year.

Create A Culture of Feedback

If we make the feedback process a regular part of school operations, parents will get used to sharing their thoughts and the quality of feedback will continue to improve. This will also train school leaders to become comfortable with both positive and negative feedback and consider it an integral part of school site planning, as well as alert school leaders to potential areas of improvement to be considered when putting together the school budget or setting the class schedule or activities calendar for the upcoming school year. Most importantly, it will signal to parents that your school values their feedback and wants them to be happy with the choice they made for their child. Happy parents translate into positive word of mouth marketing and a stronger pipeline of future students!

Moreover, this culture of feedback will lead to stronger relationships with parents and encourage them to get involved with school initiatives. This increased engagement will allow you to build a critical support network of volunteers and advocates with a genuine interest in helping the school to meet its goals and strengthen its presence in the community.

Use Feedback to Inform Marketing

In addition to promoting positive relations with parents of current students, feedback can be used to inform marketing efforts that aim to attract new parents. For example, if several parents of current students mentioned in a focus group that they are impressed by the school’s robotics program, school leaders can plan to include a stop by the robotics room during the next school tour to show it off to families considering the school as an option for their child.  Similarly, if survey results have shown that access to Advanced Placement courses is of high importance to parents of current students, school leaders will know to highlight this on the school website and in marketing materials distributed to parents of prospective students.

Conclusion

While it is important to be thinking of how to attract parents of prospective students and secure enrollment for future school years, it is also important to remember not to lose sight of our most important stakeholders – the families we currently serve. This group is our most helpful window into what we are doing well and how we can improve.  After all, we can only provide new families with a quality public school option if we’re successful in our current endeavors!

Tackling the Challenges of Central Office Hiring for Schools

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By Guest Blogger Kevin Bryant, Principal, Edgility Consulting

March 1, 2019

Not much is written about hiring practices for central office staff in schools, and understandably so. Teachers make up the large majority of hires made by individual schools, districts and charter networks. Also, the important work of educating students happens in classrooms and science labs, not in office cubicles, so this hiring is rarely a priority in our work until we have a “fire drill.” Still, central office hiring is an important function of many schools and networks, with serious implications for school organizations when poorly managed.

Central office teams oversee vital regulatory and business functions, and many of the most successful districts and CMOs rely heavily on support from these professionals for valuable expertise and added capacity. Therefore, these hires matter. For some organizations, these teams are made up of only a handful of employees, for others a few hundred. During my time at Uncommon Schools (a charter school network headquartered in the New York area), we were over 200. Regardless of size, the work of these teams can range from accreditation and curriculum design to HR and external relations. Ultimately, how well schools are able to serve students, depends on how well central office teams are able to support schools.

Challenges of Central Office Hiring

As one might expect, a limited budget often tops the list of constraints facing central office hiring managers. However, many other challenges exist as well. Here is a quick list of challenges central office recruiting teams and hiring managers often face.

External factors, such as:

  • Competition for talent from (big budget) private sector employers. (At Uncommon, we were at battle with giants like Goldman, Google, and JP Morgan.)
  • Fewer alumni on staff often leading to fewer referrals.
  • Less recognizable brands often leading to less overall interest from job seekers.

Internal factors, such as:

  • Outdated and slower to update systems and process improvements.
  • Long hours for less pay.
  • Less well-defined career paths.
  • And, many times, a culture that is slow to terminate for underperformance. (The education sector wants to have strong business functions, without the accountability of the business sector. Ultimately, it is schools and kids who suffer.)

Sadly, these conditions often create a “revolving door” of high-quality talent, as employees are drawn to greener pastures with better pay or greater appreciation. With their departures, go a wealth of institutional knowledge, and recruiting teams and hiring managers are again faced with an unwanted, often unanticipated central office hiring process. A vicious cycle with an unrelenting grip on our time, and attention.

Potential Solutions

That is, until we choose to fight back. See, despite the frustrations and challenges of central office hiring, there are certain advantages to our nimbleness and flexibility. Schools are finding innovative approaches to improve student performance. We, too, should be finding creative ways to overcome our hiring challenges. The traditional model of hiring is outdated and ineffective. Here is a quick list of recommendations for moving central office hiring in a more thoughtful and strategic direction:

  • Win over otherwise outpriced candidates by appealing to their desire to make a difference and leave a legacy. (Ex: Work as an IT specialist, and volunteer to teach an after-school coding class once a week)
  • Offer generous benefit plans to offset the pay gap (Ex: health and dental plans, PTO days, 403b matching, etc.)
  • Attract additional candidates by offering greater flexibility (Ex: flex-days, or other remote work options. At Uncommon, we had the freedom to work from our Home Office or at a school campus.)
  • Revisit hiring a back-office provider or outsource certain services to redirect funds and focus to classrooms and schools.
  • Offer leadership opportunities aligned with organizational priorities, or social movements. (Ex: At Uncommon, I was invited in my second year to join a diversity-recruitment focused steering committee.)

This list is not exhaustive, but directional. Begin by answering the question, “what can we as a school uniquely offer to top candidates?”