A District’s Guide to Preventing the COVID-19 Slide

We are all in an unprecedented situation right now, and schools and districts everywhere are working hard to transition to distance learning models to prevent student learning loss while schools are closed. We see schools starting to plan across three time horizons: the rest of this school year, the summer, and then back to school and beyond. The underlying sentiment is that districts are focused on supplying some learning in the short-term and focusing even more deeply on how they will support students when they return in the fall. Administrators are highly skeptical that the return to school in the fall will be a return to normal.

As we partner with districts across the U.S. and discuss their plans for mathematics, ELA and World Languages, we have seen a powerful framework emerge for how they are approaching both short- and long-term planning. It appears to be a natural progression through a needs assessment, resulting in plans that address those needs. The planning process progresses through four fairly consistent stages, starting with a look at the current situation. We want to share this resource with you as you go through your own planning.

Short- and Long-Term Planning Framework

Phase 1: Foundational Readiness
Create an inventory and detailed analysis of what you are working with, including:

• Student and teacher resources
• District technology for at-home use
• District software (e.g. LMS, website)
• Available funding to fill gaps

Phase 2: Instructional Design
Establish a model for instruction and learning that includes:

• Learning model
• Roles and responsibilities
• Learning tools and resources
• Content selection and management
• Assessment and accountability

Phase 3: Professional Learning & Ongoing Support
Identify and/or create supports for at-home learning, which involves:

• Teacher preparedness, planning and collaboration
• Home support and communication
• Professional learning for new virtual and blended approaches

Phase 4: Long-Term Planning
Determine how your district will sustain learning and minimize the “COVID slide.”

• Instructional continuity
• Sustainable at-home and blended models

Putting It to Work For You

Which phase is your district in right now? How is it going? 

We plan to provide examples of strategies that districts have used, addressing each of these phases in future blog posts. Please contact us if you have questions or would like to discuss your plans. We are happy to share everything that we are learning. 

If you are struggling with lessons for students at home, we can help. Math teachers, check out LONG + LIVE + MATH At Home, which includes a curated lesson and video library, access to our 1:1 MATHia Software, and virtual support with a Coach on Call. World language teachers, check out iCulture, a unique cultural immersion resource for Spanish, French and German learning that we've made available for free during this time.

And lastly, join our LONG + LIVE + MATH Facebook Group to share ideas and resources with other educators and leaders. We would love to hear your thoughts.