Kicking off the series April 27 with an examination of state and federal guidance related to COVID-19, CSBA experts provided attendees with an overview of grading, testing, child care and emergency federal funding, as well as waivers granted thus far. Most importantly, panelists explained how all these changes impact LEAs and the role of district and county office governance teams.
The executive order extends this budget year’s LCAP from July 1, 2020, to Dec. 15, 2020; waives certain timeline requirements for county and state review of LCAPs and budget expenditures for this year; and requires a written report explaining changes to program offerings made in response to the major impacts of COVID-19 on students and families. (See page 14 for details.)
This should come as a welcome announcement, said Dennis Meyers, Assistant Executive Director of Governmental Relations, noting that it clears some tasks off the plate of administrators for now so they can address critical, immediate needs of students and families. “This is intended to provide relief during this difficult time,” Meyers said. “But then in addition to that, is to at least provide some transparency immediately for your parents and for your community.”
Student Individualized Education Programs remain in effect during the current closures and services offered by a child’s IEP should be continued “to the greatest extent possible,” Meola said, but, when necessary, schools must work with families and gain written consent via a Prior Written Notice to amend a student’s IEP if services are unable to be provided in the same manner as they were prior to school closures.
CSBA had submitted to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ office waivers that districts and county offices would need to best continue providing educational services to all students. “One of the big ones that we’ve also got other state and national organizations in support of is holding school districts harmless for the issue of FAPE, and making sure that as long as districts put in a good faith effort that they would not be pulled into court or sued on the issue of not providing FAPE during school closures,” Hoffman said.
“There is also a push currently within Congress to include within the next big COVID bill funding for the E-rate program — about $2 billion. CSBA is pushing that,” she said. “There was legislation introduced by Rep. Meng out of New York, and we submitted under our federal partnership with the Association of California School Administrators a letter in support of this.”
At the state level, education funding is expected to dip significantly in response to the economic impact of COVID-19. CSBA will continue to advocate for funding for everything from technology to infrastructure to the additional cleaning supplies schools will need when they reopen.
Rather than rely on what is likely to be a reduced minimum allotment under Proposition 98, CSBA is calling for a reallocation of the one-time funding for new programs included in Gov. Newsom’s January budget proposal to provide schools some flexibility as they adjust to new rules surrounding social distancing in schools and other challenges related to COVID-19, added Meyers.
“Our strategy is to really push the Legislature and the Governor to fund schools based on what you’re experiencing now through the COVID-19 crisis — not only what you’ve experienced since March 1, but what you’re going to need to finish out this fiscal year and then reopen in the fall — and we know your costs are going to be a lot higher than they are right now,” Meyers explained.