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January 8, 2021
Updates in this email:
The state will be sending additional masks and shields to schools to use for students and staff while they are in school buildings. Shipments of cloth and disposable face masks in adult and child sizes, as well as face shields for school staff should arrive at regional service cooperatives by the end of the week. Please contact your Regional Support Team for information on the pickup schedule. We have heard your feedback about the face shields that we provided at the beginning of the school year and we have procured a higher quality face shield from Andersen Windows. Due to demand, the warehouse will be unable to procure a full shipment of the higher quality face shields for districts and schools served by the Metro ECSU Service Cooperative until mid-February. However, if you are a school served by Metro ECSU and you are in need of additional face shields before mid-February please reach out to your Regional Support Team and they will do their best to fill your request.
The State of Minnesota will provide the following supplies to all public schools:
- Every K-12 student will receive one cloth face covering.
- Every school staff member will receive one cloth face covering.
- Every school staff member will receive one face shield.
On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, Governor Walz signed Executive Order 21-01, which outlines updated requirements for facilities throughout Minnesota such as gyms and fitness centers, including those within schools. The Use of School Facilities for Non-School Activities section of the 2020-21 Planning Guidance for Minnesota Public Schools (beginning on page 20) has been updated to reflect the requirements outlined in the executive order. These changes are effective beginning Sunday, January 10, 2021, at 11:59 p.m.
Commissioner Ricker has consulted with Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm and has determined that ACT, SAT and PSAT testing will be permitted in school facilities beginning January 7, 2021, regardless of learning model. The commissioners will continue monitoring the public health situation to make determinations about testing in school facilities for future test dates and will update guidance as needed.
After hearing from school leaders, organizations, and families, the Minnesota Department of Education has extended the ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS testing window to allow schools as much flexibility in administering the test as possible. The testing window is now January 25–April 16, 2021. Additionally, if time permits in your assessment calendar MDE recommends that districts wait to start administering ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS until the week of Feb. 8; although not required, this allows additional time for any possible changes at the federal level. While any actions (e.g., a waiver from testing requirements) would also require state legislative action, delaying the start of test administration allows more flexibility and time for MDE to provide guidance based on any changes. MDE understands that districts may not be able to wait, depending on their logistics for testing and the number of students who need to be tested. As you are scheduling, consider prioritizing ELs that are close to being proficient so that they have an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency and have an ACCESS composite score that can be used for reclassification.
MDE will be working with WIDA to determine schedule impacts for test results and reporting.
As districts and schools plan to transition their middle schools and high schools to less restrictive learning models than what is required under the Safe Learning Model Guidance, this must be done in consultation with, local public health officials, MDH or MDE as needed. In preparation for an increase across the state in consultation requests, MDE has worked with our partners at MDH to develop a K-12 Secondary School Consult Request Form that districts and schools will use to schedule consultations moving forward.
The goal is multifold: 1) to prioritize scheduling consultations for proposed middle school and high school transitions to hybrid and in-person learning models, 2) to have districts and charters document requests in a centralized place to assist with scheduling and avoid capacity issues while fulfilling requests statewide, and 3) to collect questions and concerns districts and schools have prior to the consultation date so that the team is ready and prepared with the right resources and answers.
With the increased demand, your Regional Support Team will prioritize requests on a first come, first served basis while also prioritizing proposed return date. Consultations will be kept to 30 minutes in length and will generally be available from 8:30-11 a.m. Monday through Friday.
If you already have a consultation on the calendar with your team, please keep that date and still follow through with submitting the request form. If you have previously worked with or are continuing to work with local public health or tribal health, you do not need to complete this form.
To schedule a consultation with your team: complete the request form now.
Restorative Practices Online Circle Sessions and Circle Trainings
Registration is open for Restorative Practices in Schools Online Circle Sessions, starting January 16 with Circle Trainings in February. Restorative practices is an approach schools can use to improve school climate and repair harm, based in the knowledge and world-view of many Indigenous cultures. The Restorative Practices Online Circle Sessions, January/February 2021 provide opportunities for deeper exploration of repairing harm, as well as the circle process, for both experienced practitioners and people new to the circle process. For further information contact Nancy Riestenberg, Minnesota Department of Education, 651-582-8433.
Teacher Development and Evaluation/Q Comp Network
In February, MDE will continue facilitating networking sessions supporting the implementation of teacher development and evaluation (TDE) and Q Comp programs. These optional sessions are intended to provide spaces for local coordinators or members of local leadership teams to trouble-shoot and collaborate as we navigate different school scenarios.
Join other coordinators to discuss TDE and Q Comp implementation topics, including, but not limited to, professional learning communities, summative or high cycle evaluations, or observation practices, and how these TDE and Q Comp activities are being modified to suit distance learning and hybrid scenarios. Please bring questions, ideas, and any resources to share as this will be a format in which we can all problem solve and learn from each other.
Intended Audience – Local coordinators and leaders of Q Comp or TDE. Space is limited to 100 participants in each session, and facilitators will create smaller groups for discussion.
December Session Registrations – Use the links below to register.
Tuesday, February 2 – 9-10:15 a.m.
Thursday, February 4 – 2-3:15 p.m.
Agenda – This is a participant-driven agenda, so no session will be entirely alike. The only limit on the conversation is a focus on local coordinators' work to support the educator workforce through the implementation of TDE and Q Comp.
Please note: The networking sessions will not be recorded. However, we will publish key messages and resources following the sessions.
If you have any questions or would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at mde.q-comp@state.mn.us.
Voluntary Prekindergarten and School Readiness Plus Application Open Now through February 1, 2021
The application period for voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) and school readiness plus (SRP) funding for fiscal year (FY) 2022 (school year 2021-22) opened on January 5, 2021 and is due on February 1, 2021. VPK sites funded for the first time in FY17 (school year 2016-17) will receive continued funding for their original number of seats; VPK/SRP seats initially funded in FY18, FY19, FY20, and FY21 are currently scheduled to sunset at the end of the 2020-21 school year unless action is taken by the legislature. Preschool program funding decisions will be made during the 2021 legislative session.
All currently funded districts and charter schools interested in funding for FY22 must apply during the January application period to receive ongoing funding or to be considered should additional funding become available. Currently unfunded districts must also apply to be considered for funding should additional funding become available. All districts are encouraged to apply annually as the information from the application is used to demonstrate ongoing interest in and need for VPK/SRP funding. Information about the application process is available on the VPK/SRP webpage of the MDE website. If you have any questions, please contact MDE.VPK@state.mn.us.
COVID-19 Resources for Minnesota Schools and Out of School Time Programs
MDE and MDH have a new resource available which provides up-to-date guidance on COVID-19 for staff who work in schools and in out of school time programs. New content will be added throughout the school year. The trainings and resources are available in the Canvas Learning Management system and focus on the following topics:
- Health and Safety – currently available
- Reducing the risk of transmission, guidance on PPE, chronic disease management, procedures for isolating and transporting sick individuals, and more
- Out of School Time – currently available
- Federal guidance, state guidance, upcoming training opportunities, recorded trainings, and more
- School Meal Programs – currently available
- Meals in the classroom, USDA waiver information, training, resources, preventing the spread of COVID-19
- Physical Education and Physical Activity – currently available
- Federal guidance, state guidance, sport specific guidance, training, and resources
- Mental Health – coming soon
- Social and Emotional Learning – coming soon
Instructions for accessing the resources:
- Go to COVID-19 Resources for Minnesota Schools and Out of School Time Programs to access the Canvas Learning Management System.
- Enter your email address as your username. Click Enroll in Course.
- You will receive an email from MDE (notifications@instructure.com). A hyperlink will be provided to finish the registration process.
- In Canvas, create a password and Click Register. View the course.
For best performance, Canvas should be used on the following internet browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. Contact mde.healthyyouth@state.mn.us if you have questions.
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