Reset &restart Planning Guide DRAFT
Reset &restart Planning Guide DRAFT
Reset &restart Planning Guide DRAFT
Reset & Restart-Education Planning Guide for Ohio Schools and Districts
Introduction
1. Purpose
This guide provides a framework for schools and districts to use, as appropriate, for restoring
educational achievement of each of Ohio’s students, so that each student is on track to attain
the One Goal in Each Child, Our Future, Ohio’s Strategic Plan for Education. This is a tool for
educators to prompt and inform thoughtful local conversations and plans for resetting and
restarting school. It has been developed with input from educators and educator-related
organizations, parents and students.
Important Note: This document is designed to inform districts and schools in making decisions
about how best to deliver and implement instruction. While the daily health precautions are
necessarily prescriptive, developed in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Health and
Governor DeWine’s office, the remainder of the document does not constitute a requirement
for any school or district. Instead, it serves as a resource and starting point for schools and
districts to use in local decision making. It will be continuously revised over the coming weeks
and months as we collaborate with health experts and receive feedback from our education
stakeholders.
2. Operating Assumptions
The coronavirus remains with us, and Ohio will likely not return to normalcy until there is a
vaccine or a cure. A return to school will look very different. Ohio’s education system will need
to be flexible and nimble, understanding that the priority of protecting the health of Ohio’s
citizens may require schools to operate in various modes at different times, with minimum
advanced notice.
3. Guiding Principles
Returning to school will look different than it did before March 16, 2020. To best protect the
health of Ohio’s students and citizens, and to abide by recommendations from the Ohio
Department of Health, schools will need to change many practices. However, we remain
committed to the vision laid out in Ohio’s strategic plan, Each Child, Our Future, supportive of
the Whole Child and the three core principles – equity, partnerships, and quality schools. Those
fundamental components of the strategic plan should help guide Ohio’s educators in our
recovery efforts.
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• Professional Development:
Partner organizations have always been great sources of professional development. During
the school-building closure there emerged even more need for schools and districts to
leverage partnerships to provide additional learning opportunities for educators. There will
remain a need for further training for school employees in a return to school environment
• Convener:
There will be an ongoing need for people to come together virtually to talk, discuss, share,
learn and make decisions. ESCs, associations and partner organizations can maintain needed
momentum in the interest of the best experience possible for Ohio’s students, as well as
easing the burden on individual schools and districts. Convening educators to share best
practices, participate in peer-to-peer activity, share the application of innovations, and
other similar activities are affirming, heartening and help to ensure continuous
improvement in an unknown environment.
• Sharing of Resources/Networking:
The education community has embraced a “how can we help each other” approach – not
surprising. We’ve seen so many amazing examples of the education community stepping out
beyond their usual roles (ironically, at a time of staying in) and sharing ideas, sharing
resources, sharing approaches, etc. How do we keep this going?
• Communication Partners:
Community organizations (and others) can serve both to share community needs with
school districts and to help districts share key information with students and families.
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Additionally, these partners can implement food distribution, address mental health needs
of students and families and help meet other ongoing needs.
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should be required to wear a face mask. Those showing symptoms should be required
to go home at the earliest convenience.
Visitors: Prohibit visitors in schools, or limit to emergency situations and enrollment.
Require temperature checks and a symptoms check for any visitors.
Diagnosed or Exposure to COVID-19: Families and staff must notify school if they have
been exposed to COVID-19 and are quarantined, or if a family member has been
diagnosed with or presumed to have COVID-19 and/or is being isolated; Personnel and
students with known exposure to someone with diagnosed or presumed COVID-19 must
self-quarantine at home for 14 days; Personnel or students who travel out of state or to
a location with known community spread must self-quarantine at home for 14 days.
Guidelines should be considered for holding students and personnel harmless for
required quarantine period(s).
Returning to School Following Quarantine: Personnel and students with confirmed or
presumed COVID-19 must meet these conditions prior to returning to school: Persons
with confirmed COVID-19 may return to work/school after fever is resolved without the
use of fever-reducing medication AND respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of
breath) improve AND they have two negative COVID-19 test results; Persons with
presumed COVID-19 may return to work/school when at least 7 days have passed since
symptom onset AND 72 hours after fever resolves without use of fever-reducing
medication AND respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) improve.
• Communication Plan:
ODE to communicate updates via gov delivery email, website postings and social media.
LEA to plan how all health, safety and logistical practices are communicated to students,
parents, staff, and community members. Communication with parents/guardians is a
critical component and schools should be diligent in informing parents about symptom
onset and the importance of staying home when sick. Student expectations and routines
should be shared with parents. Expectations and procedures regarding parent visits,
pick up, drop off, and signing students out of school early need to be communicated.
(Parents remain in vehicles).
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ODE, in partnership with ODH, will provide general resources for use by school
personnel. They will provide resources to all school personnel about COVID-19 infection
control strategies and related school policies and procedures. Instruction should
include, but not limited to, appropriate handwashing, physical distancing, use of
facemasks, symptoms, staying home when sick, etc. and strategies to reinforce these
concepts with students and parents.
LEA: Staff will need face-to-face time to prepare for return to in-person settings. These
meetings should occur before students return to the buildings in order to thoroughly
manage all facets of prioritizing students’ and employees’ health needs.
Schools/districts will need to consider their calendars and work collaboratively to ensure
employees are well-prepared for the opening of the school year.
2. Educational Considerations
The coronavirus pandemic has forced the education community to rethink instructional delivery.
Not all students should or need to be in a physical building at all times. There is an opportunity
to work collaboratively with students, parents, community partners and educators to consider
how to best meet students where they are.
• Focus on Equity:
Each Child, Our Future, Ohio’s 5-year strategic plan for education identifies Equity as Ohio’s
greatest challenge. Equity in education means that each child has access to relevant and
challenging academic experiences and educational resources necessary for success across
race, gender, ethnicity, language, disability, family background and/or income.
The coronavirus did not create equity challenges in education. Those challenges have long
been recognized in education, yet, the pandemic is revealing and exacerbating deeply rooted
social and educational inequities. Further, the global crisis highlights the equity connections
across education and other social systems, such as healthcare, housing and the workforce.
As educators, communities and policymakers rally together in a tremendous response to the
pandemic, equity must remain at the forefront of Ohio’s short- and long-term responses and
supports.
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• High-Risk Population:
Develop and implement a plan for addressing needs for students and school personnel with
special healthcare needs that place them at higher risk for medical difficulties related to
exposure to COVID-19. How will “high-risk” be identified for both students and staff? This
may include enhanced modifications such as remote learning for high-risk and quarantined
students and employees.
• Data Use:
Districts may need guidance in using data to determine where students are in their
acquisition and retention of knowledge. They may also need guidance in using data for
other purposes (e.g., assessing non-academic needs, school climate, determining what
worked/didn’t work with remote learning, determining what worked/didn’t work with
family engagement); non-education factors impacting education (e.g., job loss, health
concerns), etc.
ODE to provide resources, professional learning, and coaching through RDLs, SSTs and
communication to LEAs.
LEAs will utilize district and school, building and teacher-based teams to review student
data regularly to make adjustments to instruction and non-academic interventions and
supports.
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ODE will develop multiple resources to support teachers in identifying standards that
were not mastered before or during the ordered school-building closure. ODE will also
provide guidance and resources aimed at schools supporting students facing a transition
such as first-time preschool students, new kindergarten students, and students starting
middle or high school. ODE will provide information on assessment and placement of
new and returning English learners.
LEAs will identify the most appropriate strategies within their capacity that make the
most sense for their particular students, staff and community.
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scheduling half day or alternating days for attendance in conjunction with work that is
completed at home. (Remote work can be accomplished in electronic or paper formats to
best meet unique needs of students.)
• Personalized Learning:
The delivery of instruction will more than likely need to become much more personalized.
This is probably a good long-term practice to promote regardless – but especially given the
variability that will exist among students. According to anecdotal observations, many
students have prospered with distance learning. How can or should distance learning fit into
the overall instructional approach going forward? Could a Project Based Learning approach
be considered and implemented? Is the Future Ready framework an approach that can be
embraced? More than ever before we need to focus on making learning joyful and engaging
in a personalized manner.
• Attendance:
In-person attendance is important and conducive to learning. However, in the current
pandemic environment, a focus on student attendance must be balanced with a priority for
keeping students and employees safe and healthy. Rather than recognizing students for
perfect attendance, consider a measure that encourages consistent attendance, but not at
the expense of health. Some parents/guardians may not feel comfortable sending students
to school and will require schools/districts to consider policies in this area.
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tiered model of prevention and intervention supports. Districts and schools will need to adapt
their PBIS system to include common behavior expectations specific to physical and social
distancing. For children, that are already receiving mental health services, they may have
adjusted to telehealth services or they may have experienced a disruption to those services
during COVID-19 and need to be reconnected. It will be important for schools to assess the
individual needs of children and assist in providing them with supports that meet universal and
individual student needs. Schools must also recognize stress and anxiety experienced by staff
and determining healthy ways to support them as well.
• Student Supports:
What do these supports look like in a time of uncertainty and heightened anxiety? In
addition to other challenges students face, they may be scared that they might get sick if
they even go to school or get close to other people. Many older students may be required to
take on jobs to help support the family. There may be a rise in abuse/neglect that the school
counselor or other personnel will need to identify, report and provide supports for the
student and family. School Counselors are instrumental in providing student emotional
support throughout the school day (one on one, classroom guidance, group support, etc.).
ODE will partner with ODMHAS to provide resources and key supports, remind schools
of available funding sources to support their students’ needs (e.g., Student Wellness and
Success Funds, Prevention funds, etc.). ODE will create information and resources to
support districts and schools in meeting students’ social-emotional, safety and wellness
needs.
LEAs will partner with local ADAMH boards, ESCs, and community based providers to
determine the community’s needs and identify supports including professional
development for educators.
• Employee Supports:
Employees will share similar concerns to those of students, and may have heightened
concerns about where students and families have been in the evenings or weekends, then
returning to school with the potential for “community spread”. Schools should consider
having personnel develop and use a common narrative to build safety in the school and
reduce fear and always assume positive intent. Schools/districts should work with local
agencies to ensure employees’ social and emotional well-being.
• Family Engagement:
It has been observed that in many cases families have been more engaged in their students’
education during the school-building closure. There have also been representations that the
teacher/family partnerships have been stronger because of more frequent engagement
between teachers and parents/guardians. How do we sustain this and leverage it? Some
parents may want to keep their student’s out of school because of fears of illness. What are
the implications? At the same time, educators need to recognize that as parents return to
the workplace, they may not be able to support remote learning in a consistent manner.
Teachers and families should build a strong partnership and alliance to support the child.
4. Operational Considerations
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The importance of thoughtfully and intentionally considering the roles, responsibilities and
safety of each component of a typical school day involves numerous employee groups, practices
and routines. Organizations such as OAPSE can play a key role in identifying and implementing
solutions to these concerns in several areas listed below. Working with local health agencies,
following EPA and CDC guidance, and other experts in each of the following areas will be
important to address issues.
• Secretarial/Clerical:
(Secretarial/Clerical content under development)
• Food Service/Cafeteria:
Consider alternate approaches to breakfast/lunch service that provide for physical
distancing and enhanced cleaning of surfaces between service times.
• Field Trips:
Do not participate in field trips.
• Internet/Technology Accessibility:
To the extent that a district decides to continue remote learning – or has to continue
remote learning – they will need to address the need for internet access, as well as access to
computers for students and educators. A school or district may also need to have options
for non-digital remote learning where internet and computers will not be available. Effective
preparation will require appropriate training, and technical support. Districts will also need
to assess staff accessibility to devices and internet service as well as whether current data
plans are sufficient. Schools must ensure district personnel are trained on use of internet
tools and making resources accessible (e.g., teachers should not be taking photos of book
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pages or tests and sending them to children for use when these may not be accessible to
visually impaired students or families without printers).
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