Thread by @TracyNovick

My #MAEdu list of things DESE could be doing rather than drawing up and arguing floor plans for *our* buildings that we know better than they do:
I'll be adding to this.

(All of these submitted under my firm belief that there *is* actually a role for the state here, and...

... further that there *are* people who work in Malden who want to do right by kids and educators, and who have real skills on which we should draw. I know those views aren't shared by all, but they are mine.)

Not in any particular order:

1. Go back to Vice Chair Morton's question from May and say YES, we need a firm push from the Board (we have one for a reason) on actual full funding of school districts NOW. Having us all play these planning games in the dark is ridiculous and impractical.

1 1/2 (because this one is for Board members): Those @MassBudget proposals on new revenue? Now's the time to speak to that.

2. Close the tech gap. Why is my district handing out hotspots and why are teachers sitting in parking lots in Western Mass? You're the head of a state agency; connect with others across the country and make this a national priority. This is right up our alley.

3. Those logistical data folks? Figuring out how kids from the same family can all go on the same day on a hybrid schedule multiplied over districts; if there are models or apps, *that* could be useful support.

4. Superintendents already informally cross-coordinate over snow days when they share buses. Staff who live in one district and work in another are rightly concerned about what happens when things are different. I would hope superintendents would simply cross pollinate, but...

5. INSIST on elevating equity. That single nod in the hybrid line of elevating the needs of English language students and special education students was a foot in the door. THIS needs to be the priority.

5 (cont). This does not only include those students; who else particularly NEEDS to be in contact with educators?

(PS: No, this isn't determined by who sends the most emails to the superintendent and school committee.)

(that last should be towards the top; like I said, no particular order)

6. Consider your role as a connection with most of those with children in Massachusetts; what information most needs to be shared right now? How can that be done most effectively?

7. TRANSLATION! Again, you're a *state agency* in a state with substantial numbers of folks whose first language isn't English. We need GOOD communication with them, not only about education, but for certain about that. Some of this could be centralized!

8. Twist some arms. We have a Governor who got a private plane to fly to China for masks, for heaven's sake. There's some good examples in my mentions of neat work that was done connection kids virtually to practitioners this spring.

8 (cont): Music, art, literature, dance, theater, but also the sciences (cool research), higher mathematics, actual history, geography, language exchanges, CIVICS. Imagine if those at-home times meant zooms and Google meets with people who DO this!

8 (cont). Also, what a great chance to forefront: what does a scientist look like? Not an old white guy with crazy hair? What a chance to show ALL our kids what THEY can be!

9. Keep focusing back on the not-actually-ancillary services that come via schools. The DESE Nutrition folks have been unsung rock stars during this (there was a memo on a federal waiver that we got on a SUNDAY MORNING!).

9 (cont). P-EBT rollout in MA was MUCH smoother here than elsewhere (also unsung, as I think we don't realize how complicated that was): what else do we do? Health care? Mental health supports? If schools are the places those come (like it or not) what's the *state's* role?

10. Central purchasing: Yes, state contract for PPE, but what else?
(Why are districts all ordering their own Chromebooks?)

11. Regulations (This one is happening in bits)

Obviously, we have to adjust days/times/what that looks like.
There's probably teacher licensure pieces that need shifting.

12. Legislation: I'm seeing queries about retirements, leaves for family care, and a myriad of other things that are legislative. Ask some Qs, gather them up, and talk to the Legislature.

13. Work with Mass DoT on bike lanes to and from schools in places where this is possible. Hand out bike racks for school. Normalize this as a transportation option (h/t Newton, here, BTW, but DESE also doesn't have to look far to find bike commuters).

14. The leadership and the groups that did the work on content standards?
Call them back and start collecting and distributing best practices for remote learning (by discipline and grade group) and in-class-under-pandemic-conditions. Cast a wide net. Make it easy to access.