UPDATED FAQs for District and School Leaders – now with information on distance learning and grading

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March 26, 2020

Dear District and School Leaders,

Yesterday in a special meeting, the State Board of Education made momentous decisions in the face of a global pandemic that has required a strong, safety-focused response from the education community. In Phase 1, we ceased all school operations, other than those deemed essential functions, to begin to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 virus. That  decision, approved by the State Board on March 16, also halted instruction and gave us a critical window to plan for Phase 2, which begins April 6. 

As you now know, schools will soon resume instruction, but with distance learning opportunities that will look quite different than what many of us are accustomed to when it comes to school. Because of this, I wanted to make you aware of critical updates to our COVID-19 FAQs for Oklahoma Public Schools document. They include a section on distance learning that is a preview of the resources in our upcoming Distance Learning web page, expected to go live tomorrow. It also covers new information on child nutrition, how to approach grading and awarding of credits for high school students and more.

We need your continued feedback and will continue to address as many of your questions as possible. Your willingness to partner with us has been invaluable in helping us to determine steps forward. 

The more I learn about the plans you are putting in place to ensure student learning continues, the more faith I have that in these uncertain, unprecedented times, you remain committed to doing what's right, and best, for kids. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Joy Hofmeister
State Superintendent of Public Instruction