A Virginia Department of Education workgroup released guidance on Tuesday detailing recommendations on how to continue reopening schools and address lost learning time due to the pandemic.
The LEARNS Workgroup asked families and educators for input, and 880 people responded, 44% of which were educators and the rest being parents or other caregivers. It was formed in February by Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane.
LEARNS, which stands for Leading, Engaging, Assessing, Recovering, Nurturing and Succeeding, made 10 big recommendations on "reopening and recovery," as summarized by a VDOE press release. A common theme through the recommendations is ensuring students in most need get attention. The guidance advised striving for low student to teacher ratios and adding more counselors, social workers and psychologists to address students' social and emotional needs.
The guidance also recommended schools be flexible. The workgroup said schools should consider adjusting schedules or school calendars as they make their own specific plans, as well as encouraging flexibility in attendance, especially in light of the pandemic, to ensure strict policies don’t “create barriers for students access to learning.”
The workgroup is urging schools to keep an eye on equity too. For example, it says to give special consideration to closing equity gaps when picking what subjects summer learning will focus on.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
