April 8 Thread
1/Just got off the line with @chiefsforchange members. We’d planned to cover several topics but majority of time was taken up discussing budget implications of #COVID19 crisis & response. Also covered plans to support graduating seniors.

2/Consensus is huge revenue hits are on horizon, may be significantly bigger than 2008-9 depending on nature of state economy. Many Chiefs implementing strict hiring freezes or reviewing every hire personally. Some renogiating all vendor contracts. Curtailing all 2021-22 travel.

3/Several Chiefs anticipating state legislators coming back for special session to cut budgets. Governors already asking what districts could withstand in the range of 5-15% cuts. As one Chief said, “90% of our budget is people” so implications are dire.

4/Implications for communities was a big theme. Newly unemployed folks in community already coming to district inquiring about work. For context CFC membership includes cities that could hit 30% unemployment w/ resulting huge delinquencies in tax collection.

5/There are many cascading effects of a downturn: for instance actuarial adjustment could lead to higher pension obligations, further constricting district budgets. A further concern is potential skyrocketing health care costs, especially if district self-insured.

6/Some school board members asking to tap rainy day funds now. “It’s raining.” Yes, but torrential rain is next year so need to conserve every nickel right now. And find more nickels: e.g. trying to get clarity on Medicaid reimbursement for various kinds of telehealth services.

7/Allowing federal Title dollars to rollover for an extended period of time is one easy way @usedgov could help districts right now. It would make a significant difference. But much more will be needed.

8/Consensus seems to be very little to no hiring next year unless federal stimulus is truly massive. Plans for current round of CARE Act stimulus is focussed on Summer ‘20. Summer questions focussed on how to accelerate students after signicant learning loss & graduating seniors.

9/Everyone recognizing some baseline assessment will be needed to begin supporting students but what? At moment it appears whatever district already has for baseline (MAP, DRA, aimsweb etc). Anticipation that this also may have to be distance learning at least in part.

10/And I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the challenges of summer learning in the South. You know about no AC in schools. Many districts have 1000s of families w/ no AC in homes. Chiefs serving families with these conditions still thinking through how to overcome challenge.

11/Second focus of summer is supporting HS graduates. Chiefs are working with state higher ed boards to extend all deadlines: college applications, class registration, dorms, everything. Point is: you have to do this advocacy actively. It may not just happen.

12/Most seeing waivers of state level requirements and exams, though some required to analyze diploma eligibility on a case-by-case basis before making their own call, a potentially laborious process amidst the crisis, but with some potential benefit for assessing & supporting.

13/Most Chiefs planning to issue credit for courses “frozen in time” and/or adopting “better but not worse” grading policies and/or “On Track, On Stage” approach to granting diplomas. One Chief created committee w/ 1 senior from every HS to advise on “how to salvage senior year.”

14/All of this will help make students eligible for postsecondary opportunities but will they be ready? That is where fed stimulus money could be critical: Summer preparation for postsecondary pathways.

15/This is where I remind you — if you made it this far — that feds & philanthropy need to help millions of kids get connected to internet at home. Imagine big district where 94% of students needed devices supplied and 30% of houses needed broadband. That’s real. Please help.

16/Lastly, on a more optimistic note: no one is sitting on their hands. Many Chiefs are using this moment to retrain all teachers & engage teachers and principals in bold visioning of life after COVID-19. Allowing teams of teachers to try approaches they think will be better.

17/New calendar configurations, new integrations of online & classroom learning, new partnerships and roles for master and novice teachers, new roles for paraprofessionals. Some very interesting models (properly supported, including with funding) could emerge from all this.

18/ As one Chief put it, “Look at the rest of the world. We’re certainly not going back to the way things were.” End/