With students still at home, new guidance on remote school learning

BOSTON — Monday was supposed to be the final day of Gov. Charlie Baker’s original statewide school closure.

Instead, schools around the Commonwealth are looking at at least another month of remote learning.

The state Department of Education recommendations are evolving, but here’s what we do know. School will not go beyond the 185 days until your district wants you too. There is no decision on MCAS testing.

However, a federal waiver has been issued and there’s new guidance on remote learning.

The Gayles are like many families across the state.

With a pre-kindergarten student and an 11th grader, they’re just trying to navigate remote learning and moving school guidelines.

“He’s like, ‘Ugh, this COVID-19 ruins everything’ and I’m like, ‘How do you know that?’ I think even the little ones know more than we do," said Latoya Gayle, founder of Boston School Finder.

Her son, she said, "wants to be outside."

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education put out new guidance for remote learning, and recommended to districts:

Student workload should take up ABOUT half the length of a regular school day

Students should be given a week or more to complete each assignment

Assignments should focus on reinforcing skills already taught this school year

Districts Provide online and offline remote learning tools

And all the work is graded, credit or no credit, with no bearing on GPA.

Vernee Wilkenson from School Facts Boston says challenges go beyond keeping kids busy all day, or just getting families devices. Internet access is a big issue.

“I’ve been connected to three different communities that have been Zoom-bombed recently with inappropriate, hateful, racial slurs, things like that with schools that have come of out of the gate with Zoom as a go-to school at this time, and now they’re having to reassess that,” Wilkenson said.

Gayle said some good news is telephone registration for school choice in Boston has actually gone more smoothly than in years past.

Her recommendation for state and local leaders is: “Family engagement matters a lot, and where you see success is where engagement is stronger.”

The Department of Secondary Education is still working on the guidance for English language learners.

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