| Secretary DeVos Releases New Resources for Educators, Local Leaders on K-12 Flexibilities, Student Privacy, and Educating Students with Disabilities During Coronavirus Outbreak |
| 03/12/2020 |
Secretary DeVos Releases New Resources for Educators, Local Leaders on K-12 Flexibilities, Student Privacy, and Educating Students with Disabilities During Coronavirus Outbreak
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos issued new resources today that will assist education leaders in protecting student privacy and ensuring students with disabilities continue to receive services required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the event of school closures due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The Education Department also released important information for K-12 educators on flexibilities the Department could grant when it comes to the accountability standards required by law under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
The new guidance on student privacy provides clarity about the requirements of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as it pertains to the COVID-19 outbreak. For example, it advises school officials on working with public health officials to manage COVID-19-related issues while protecting the privacy of students’ education records.
In addition, the Department has posted a fact sheet for K-12 schools about their considerations related to assessments and accountability should a school be closed for an extended period. If a school is unable to meet certain benchmarks due to absenteeism or school closure, the Department would consider a targeted one-year waiver so that the participation rate or absenteeism metric would not be factored into the school’s Academic Achievement indicator.
In order to ensure that students with disabilities continue to receive the services guaranteed by IDEA and Section 504, the Department has published a Q&A document for state and local educational authorities. This information answers the most common questions schools have about when and how they must provide instruction, including when to consider use of online or virtual instruction and other curriculum-based instructional activities.
“We are working closely with our inter-agency partners to provide state and local leaders the information they need to ensure the health and safety of their students and educators,” said Secretary DeVos. “We will continue to work alongside them and provide them the flexibilities they need in order to best support their communities.”
This communication is the latest step in the Department’s ongoing effort to assist students, teachers, and education leaders as part of the Administration’s unprecedented, whole-of-government response to the viral outbreak. It follows the earlier-released guidance to institutions of higher education and a letter on protecting civil rights in schools during this time of heightened concern.  |
| Family School Newsletter: “Parentese” Boosts a Baby’s Language Development |
| 03/13/2020 |
March 2020
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources Available
Health officials are currently taking steps to prevent the introduction and spread of the coronavirus into U.S. communities. Schools obviously can play an important role in this effort. Through collaboration and coordination with local health departments, schools can take steps to disseminate information about the virus and its potential transmission within their school community. Schools should continue to collaborate, share information, and review plans with local health officials to help protect the whole school community. Plans can and should build on everyday effective practices (e.g., encouraging hand hygiene, monitoring absenteeism).
CDC’s Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) provides interim guidance for administrators of childcare programs and K – 12 schools. This guidance is based on what is currently known about the transmission and severity of the coronavirus and will be updated as needed and as additional information becomes available.
The Department has developed a landing page ( www.ed.gov/coronavirus) for additional information on the impact of COVID-19 for schools or school districts. Questions on which the Department can be helpful can be directed to COVID-19@ed.gov. |
Federal Student Aid Features New Customer Experience
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has delivered on a promise to modernize and personalize the customer experience with federal student aid. On Feb. 24, 2020, the Department announced upgraded changes to StudentAid.gov. The website features new tools that provide borrowers with detailed, personable, and actionable information to make informed decisions about funding their education. Federal Student Aid (FSA) is piloting Make A Payment, which allows about 7 million borrowers to schedule monthly payments directly through StudentAid.gov. Other enhanced features include the Aid Summary and Loan Simulator. “We’re delivering on the promise of access to higher education to our nation’s students and their families,” said Mark A. Brown, FSA chief operating officer. |
New Federal Work-Study Reform Initiative Allows More Flexibility
Secretary DeVos announced plans for a new initiative that allows 190 colleges and universities more flexibility with Federal Work-Study (FWS). The initiative, referred to as “The Experimental Site,” will permit more students to gain on-the-job experience in their area of study. Eligible students will be paid for work experiences required by their academic programs, such as student teaching and clinical rotations. The Department will collect data to see if students are better served when they are paid for work-based learning and allowed access to off-campus FWS employment aligned with their academic programs. |
Secretary DeVos Requires Sweeping Changes at University of Southern California
On Feb. 27, 2020, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will require the University of Southern California (USC) to make sweeping changes to its Title IX procedures. In May 2018, OCR opened an investigation to determine USC’s Title IX compliance regarding the conduct of Dr. George Tyndall, a former gynecologist at the school's student health center. OCR’s investigation revealed that USC failed to respond appropriately to a notice of possible misconduct by Tyndall and to maintain a record-keeping system to identify and monitor incidents of possible sex discrimination by its employees.
“We are grateful to every survivor who came forward to share their story with our OCR investigators,” said DeVos. As a result of the serious deficiencies investigators found, OCR and USC have entered into a Resolution Agreement that requires USC to take action and make major changes at the university to protect students against sexual abuse. |
New Civil Rights Initiative to Combat Sexual Assault in K–12 Public Schools
Last month, the Department announced a new Title IX effort to combat the troubling rise of sexual assault in K–12 public schools. It builds on the Department’s work to implement the “Pass the Trash” provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which prohibits schools from simply moving employees who have committed acts of sexual misconduct. The Office for Civil Rights will start nationwide compliance reviews to examine how schools address misconduct complaints under Title IX, and more closely review data on sexual misconduct submitted to the federal government by the nation's school systems. This new initiative will also include public awareness campaigns, quality reviews of data submitted by school districts on sexual assault offenses, and a nationwide proposal to collect more detailed data on sexual assault and incidents perpetrated by school staff or personnel. |
“Parentese” Boosts a Baby’s Language Development
A new study shows true baby talk can increase an infant’s brain and speech development. The speaking style is used in every language across the world. Formerly known as motherese, now parentese recognizes that dads, siblings, and other family members also use the speaking style. Parentese has three characteristics: higher pitch, exaggerated intonations, and slower speech with pauses between phrases. The speaking style helps infants pay attention socially and respond through babbling. Results of a recent study on parent coaching reveals the potential to improve language outcomes.
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Teen Anxiety
Research shows that, by the age of 18, approximately one in three teens will experience some form of anxiety. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health disorders of children and adolescents, with girls being twice as likely to deal with anxiety or depression as boys. Anxiety happens naturally when the body is confronted with a threat as a means of protection. For teens suffering with an anxiety disorder, the body reacts even when no threat is present. Anxiety is displayed in different ways, such as dread, fear, guilt, or worries. The good news is that more teens are seeing a mental health professional than in the past. Parents are key in recognizing signs that their teen may need help.
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Supported Decision-Making Resources
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2019/2020 Prevention Resource Guide Now Available
The Children’s Bureau released the 2019/2020 version of its annual prevention resource guide, designed to assist with strengthening families and preventing child abuse and neglect in communities. The resource guide targets protective measures to support family strengths to foster healthy child and youth growth and development. Chapter Five, Tips for Parents and Caregivers, addresses many topics, such as Keeping Your Family Strong, Building Resilience in Children and Teens, and Support After an Adoption, to list a few.
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2020 Census: Resources Available from Statistics in Schools Week Activities
From March 2 – 6, 2020, classrooms across the nation participated in Statistics in Schools week. Teachers used resources to support interactive activities to help students undertand the 2020 Census and the value of using data to support decision making. The 2020 count impacts the federal funds that communities receive for special education, classroom technology, teacher training, after-school programs, school lunch assistance, and more.
Please note that the material presented concerning resources available on the Census Bureau’s website is being provided for convenience as a potential resource for schools and educators. It was not developed by the U.S. Department of Education, and we do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this information. Furthermore, the inclusion of any hyperlinks and the content presented is not intended to convey their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed or products or services offered. The Department does not control, direct, or encourage any information in a curriculum. The use of Census Bureau materials or other materials by a school or educator is strictly a state and local matter.
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New STEM Newsletter
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The Office of Communications and Outreach works with national, state and local education agencies, programs and organizations to empower parents and families with information and resources to help them be full partners in their child's programmatic, education and academic progress. For more information, please contact Dawn Ellis at dawn.ellis@ed.gov or call 202-453-7404.
Contributors: Dawn Ellis, Nicole Carinci, Michael Chamberlain .
Advisers: Karen Stratman, Kimberly Watkins-Foote, Michael Chamberlain
“Family, School and Community Engagement” can be found online at https://www2.ed.gov/news/newsletters/engagingfamilies/index.html
Note: This document contains information about and from public and private entities and organizations for the reader’s information. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any entity or organization or the products or services offered or views expressed. This publication also contains hyperlinks and URLs created and maintained by outside organizations. They are provided for the reader’s convenience; however, the Department is not responsible for the accuracy of this information.
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| Helping Students Adversely Affected by School Closures, Secretary DeVos Announces Broad Flexibilities for States to Cancel Testing During National Emergency |
| 03/20/2020 |
Helping Students Adversely Affected by School Closures, Secretary DeVos Announces Broad Flexibilities for States to Cancel Testing During National Emergency
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced today students impacted by school closures due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic can bypass standardized testing for the 2019-2020 school year. Upon a proper request, the Department will grant a waiver to any state that is unable to assess its students due to the ongoing national emergency, providing relief from federally mandated testing requirements for this school year.
Secretary DeVos commented: “Students need to be focused on staying healthy and continuing to learn. Teachers need to be able to focus on remote learning and other adaptations. Neither students nor teachers need to be focused on high-stakes tests during this difficult time. Students are simply too unlikely to be able to perform their best in this environment. Our actions today provide turnkey flexibilities for state and local leaders to focus on the immediate needs of their students and educators without worrying about federal repercussions. I’ve spoken with many local education leaders in the past days, and I’m inspired by their efforts to help their students continue to learn and grow. We’re going to continue to provide every flexibility possible to help make that as simple as possible.”
In response to the extraordinary public health threat posed by COVID-19, President Donald J. Trump declared a national emergency. As a result, many states have closed some or all schools. Therefore, a state unable to assess its students may seek a waiver from federal testing requirements by completing a form available at oese.ed.gov. At the Secretary’s direction, the Department has dramatically streamlined the application process to make it as simple as possible for state leaders who are grappling with many complex issues.
To protect students’ health and safety, a state that deems it necessary should proceed with cancelling its statewide assessments for the 2019-2020 school year. Since student performance, as measured by assessments, is required to be used in statewide accountability systems, any state that receives a one-year waiver may also receive a waiver from the requirement that this testing data be used in the statewide accountability system due to the national emergency.
The Department will continue to speak with state and local leaders to identify any additional needed flexibilities, and it remains in coordination with Congress on expanding the range of flexibilities available to the Department under law.
The Department continues to update www.ed.gov/coronavirus with information for students, parents, educators and local leaders about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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| Readout of the U.S. Department of Education’s COVID-19 Conference Call with K-12 Stakeholders |
| 03/20/2020 |
Readout of the U.S. Department of Education’s COVID-19 Conference Call with K-12 Stakeholders
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Education and other federal partners held a conference call today with K-12 education leaders representing all 50 states and two territories to discuss the Administration’s whole-of-government response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Those who attended the call included representatives from the National Association of State Boards of Education, National Governors Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, and elected officials, among many others. During the discussion, subject matter experts answered questions about the process for approval of statewide testing waivers, meal delivery for students during school closures, lengths of school closures due to the outbreak, requirements for local education agencies to provide services to students with disabilities, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements during the outbreak.
- U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos welcomed participants to the call, thanked them for working on behalf of our nation’s students and teachers, and encouraged continued communication with the Department during the outbreak. Secretary DeVos also discussed today’s announcements regarding relief from the requirement to test students under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and student loan relief for tens of millions of federal student loan borrowers.
- Deputy Secretary Mitchell “Mick” Zais gave an overview of the Department of Education’s COVID-19 working group, which he leads, and encouraged participants to frequently visit the Department’s website, ed.gov/coronavirus, for updated materials.
- Assistant Secretary Frank Brogan of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education briefed participants on the Department’s decision to provide necessary relief from some of the most pressing federal requirements related to assessments, accountability and reporting by inviting states to request a waiver (for the 2019-2020 school year) of certain requirements under the ESEA.
- Assistant Secretary Kenneth Marcus of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) discussed the Department’s guidance to education leaders on preventing and addressing potential discrimination associated with COVID-19, including the Department’s letter on the subject, a webinar on ensuring web accessibility for students with disabilities for schools utilizing online learning during the pandemic, and a fact sheet on how to protect students' civil rights as school leaders take steps to keep students safe and secure.
- Acting Assistant Secretary Mark Schultz of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services spoke about the Department’s guidance on how to provide services to students with disabilities during school closures throughout the outbreak. He announced clarifying information would be forthcoming in response to questions about implementation. Information on single points of contact for technical assistance to SEAs on best practices and models of instruction, accessibility, and data, will also be provided.
- Acting Director Kala Surprenant of the Student Privacy Policy Office discussed the Department’s guidance on the sharing of student education records during a health and safety emergency under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and identified resources on FERPA and virtual learning that will be available at https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/.
Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also participated in the call:
- Nancy Messonnier from the CDC discussed what schools, parents and communities can do while schools are closed, as well as what strategies school administrators and staff should consider when they begin to think about reopening.
- Deputy Under Secretary Brandon Lipps from USDA addressed the Department’s ongoing commitment to feeding low-income children when schools close. USDA intends to use all available program flexibilities and contingencies to serve program participants across their 15 nutrition programs, many of which were expanded by the recently enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
This call is part of the Department’s ongoing communications with K-12 stakeholders regarding the Administration’s education-related Coronavirus actions.
Participants from the U.S. Department of Education
Betsy DeVos, U.S. Secretary of Education
Dr. Mitchell “Mick” Zais, deputy secretary
Frank Brogan, assistant secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Kenneth Marcus, assistant secretary, Office for Civil Rights
Mark Schultz, acting assistant secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Kala Surprenant, acting director, Student Privacy Policy Office
Participants from Additional Federal Agencies
Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Brandon Lipps, deputy under secretary, Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture
For more information on all the efforts the Department is taking to address the COVID-19 national emergency, visit ed.gov/coronavirus.
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