Dear Partners and Stakeholders:

Although we are still in the middle of the summer, starting school is heavy on the minds of students and families and is only days or weeks away. We realize this summer has brought about new challenges and decisions for many schools and families on what school will look like for them this fall. At OESE, we have been working to support SEAs, LEAs, and schools to start school in a productive and safe way that reflects the whole needs of students. As noted by OESE Assistant Secretary Frank Brogan in a recent White House call, “Education leaders need to examine real data for their own states and communities in order to weigh all associated risks. We encourage them to consider: physical health and safety of students and staff; mental health of students; social-emotional development of students; and lost opportunities for students, such as sports, band/choir, clubs, and so on.”

In this edition, we are highlighting resources related to student support and safety as we reopen schools this fall. Several of our technical assistance (TA) centers have webinars and resources to support decision-making and implementation related to getting back to school effectively and safely. I hope you find the resources discussed below helpful. In addition to the resources developed by our TA centers, a number of documents have been released by the Department of Education and OESE program offices to help SEAs, LEAs, and schools navigate through this challenging time. I want to specifically point out the Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA) for the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program, which provides greater latitude to spend specific funds. We know our rural schools have unique challenges, and the AFUA offers flexibility in use of funds. 

August is always a busy time for the discretionary side of our work. We have several grant competitions that closed in July and August that will be paneled and awarded prior to the end of the fiscal year on September 30. Specifically, the Office of Indian Education has published three notices inviting applications to support the important work for Native American students. The three competitions are Native American Language (NAL) Grants, (2) Demonstration Grants, and (3) State and Tribal Education Partnerships (STEP).

Finally, because fall will be here before we know it, the Office of State Grant and Program Support continues to look at additional support we can provide to our grantees. This is not only through listening sessions and updated FAQs, but also by working closely with the State and Grantee Relations Office on their oversight of CARES Act funds, specifically GEER and ESSER funds, and supporting their efforts on these grant programs.

Enjoy the rest of your summer – we all have a very busy year ahead!

All the best –

Ruth Ryder

The Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS) supports schools and communities in ensuring the health and well-being of students. OSSS administers, coordinates, and recommends policy, as well as administers and manages grant programs and technical assistance centers addressing the overall safety and health of school communities nationwide.

OSSS is organized into two groups: the Safe and Supportive Schools Group and the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Group. Together, the two groups support grantees across the nation and administer numerous programs, including:

• the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (Title IV, Part A), which addresses well-rounded educational opportunities in both traditional, in-person settings and virtual settings, as well as safe and healthy student programming;
• the Project Prevent Grant Program, which enhances schools’ and school districts’ ability to identify, assess, and serve students exposed to pervasive violence; and
• the School Climate Transformation Grant Program, which helps schools and school districts develop, enhance, or expand their systems of support related to school climate programs.

There are several technical assistance centers funded by OSSS that support grantees, including:

Title IV-A Technical Assistance Center (T4PA Center)

The T4PA Center provides SEAs with dedicated support for implementing the Title IV, Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program. The T4PA Center provides SSAE state coordinators with assistance across the program’s diverse content areas by developing and disseminating high-quality resources, information, and trainings, and by providing access to a national cadre of subject matter experts who can offer targeted technical assistance.

Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support (PBIS) TA Center

The purpose of the PBIS TA Center is to improve the capacity of SEAs, LEAs, and schools to establish, scale up, and sustain the PBIS framework to (a) scale up tier 2 and 3 systems to improve outcomes for students with, or at-risk for, disabilities, (b) enhance school climate and school safety, and (c) improve conditions for learning to promote the well-being of all students.

National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)

See more about NCSSLE under Child Safety & Well Being Resources, below.

Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety (SEL Center)

The purpose of the SEL Center is to provide technical assistance to support implementation of evidence-based social and emotional learning programs and practices by enhancing the capacity of (1) SEAs to support their LEAs and (2) LEAs to support their schools. The SEL Center supports the work of OSSS by increasing the capacity of SEAs and LEAs as they work to assist their stakeholders.

Featured Work from REL Mid-Atlantic: Considerations for Reopening Pennsylvania Schools

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recently released updated guidance to LEAs on reopening their schools, Considerations for Reopening Pennsylvania Schools, informed by research developed in partnership with REL Mid-Atlantic. Like other states, Pennsylvania must balance the educational imperative to open schools with the public health imperative to keep COVID-19 infection rates manageable until a vaccine becomes available. REL Mid-Atlantic’s work focused on decision-making around health, safety, instruction, and equity challenges. It conducted three tasks to help the Pennsylvania Department of Education identify evidence-based options for school leaders and communities:

• Examined emerging evidence on the spread of COVID-19 in schools, alongside evidence on the effects of remote learning outside of school.
• Interviewed a wide range of stakeholders from across the state to better understand operational, educational, and public health challenges and concerns related to reopening schools.
• Worked with public health research colleagues to develop a cutting-edge, agent-based computational model (ABM) of disease spread in schools to predict the relative effectiveness of different mitigation strategies for reopening.

Evidence suggests that most children are at low risk of serious symptoms of COVID-19, but that schools might play a large role in transmission, posing larger risks to adults with whom infected children come into contact. Fortunately, the model suggests that schools can substantially reduce infection spread while reopening, with appropriate precautions. The ABM found that dividing students into smaller groups, each of which comes to school only 20 to 40 percent of total school days, is likely to substantially slow the rate of infection spread compared with having all students attend school every day. Based on a recent review of state websites, Pennsylvania appears to be the first state to have its reopening guidance informed by evidence-based modeling of the relative effects of mitigation strategies on the spread of COVID-19 in schools.

School Reopening Webinar Series

The School Reopening Webinar Series, presented by IDRA EAC South, features conversations with students, families, educators, administrators, public health experts, and other community leaders to explore what the future holds for reopenings, mental health, and student emotional well-being in the wake of myriad of issues facing today’s students. Recordings of each of the School Reopening Series conversations are available on the EAC South’s COVID-19 Learning Goes On website.

CDC Public Health-Related Guidance on Returning to School

In addition to these school reopening resources, the CDC released public health-related guidance on preparing K-12 school administrators for a safe return to school in fall 2020. This guidance is intended to aid school administrators as they consider how to protect the health, safety, and well-being of students, teachers, other school staff, their families, and communities and prepare for educating students this fall.

NCSSLE Resources: Child Abuse, COVID-19, and More

The National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE), one of the technical assistance centers funded by OSSS, provides training and technical assistance to schools, school districts, and educational agencies to support the development of safe and supportive learning environments. NCSSLE addresses a wide variety of topics that impact school climate, ranging from bullying and violence prevention to tools for measuring and identifying needs for school climate. NCSSLE’s COVID-19 webpage provides resources focused on protecting child well-being that speak to the unique circumstances educators face in protecting children from maltreatment during the pandemic. There are general items that address safety planning, improving child interviews in abuse cases, and prevention. In addition, the NCSSLE website offers a variety of resources that address child abuse, such as Resources to Protect Child Well-being, found in the expanded tables here.

Returning to School

States, districts, and schools are continuously reviewing all scenarios when planning the return to school for the coming school year. Every school system continues to try to make the best decision for all students, families, and educators while balancing the health and safety challenges presented by the global pandemic. The Comprehensive Network National Center has compiled a list of State Plans for Reopening Schools for the 2020-2021 School Year. This list will be updated weekly. To support the complicated work that states, districts, and schools have in planning the return to school, the National Center has also created a Returning to School Resource Collection. These and other resources are highlighted on OESE’s Returning to School resources page.

Safe School Environments: New OESE Technical Assistance Resource Page

OESE has created a resource page on its website to support states, districts, schools, and families to navigate K-12 education during the challenging times of the global pandemic. As schools plan to return, it is critical that education leaders ensure our school settings — both in-person and virtual — are safe places to learn. The Safe Learning Environments resource collection includes high-quality resources to improve school safety, conditions for learning, school climate, and access to systems of care and support for schools, districts, students, families, and school communities.

Federal School Safety Clearinghouse

The Federal School Safety Clearinghouse (FSSC) is comprised of members from the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Justice. Earlier this year, the FSSC, in coordination with the White House, launched the SchoolSafety.gov website. In June, the FSSC introduced the State Information Sharing Tool, a new state-focused functionality on SchoolSafety.gov. This tool enables members of the academic community to search for state-specific school safety information and resources.

The new State Information Sharing Tool aims to:

1. provide the academic community with a one-stop shopping for state-specific school safety information;
2. provide a streamlined and centralized tool for connecting the academic community to their respective state officials as well as connecting state officials with one another; and
3. enhance collaboration between state school safety leaders and the FSSC by establishing a sustained engagement platform. 

In the coming months, the FSSC will continue to coordinate with states and territories to further develop this tool by adding additional state-specific school safety information and resources.

Resources for Trauma-Informed Practices

The Comprehensive Center Network has assembled collections of resources to support continuity of learning as educators and families have transitioned from traditional classroom settings to learning from home through online resources. The most recent collection released is Continuity of Learning: Resources for Trauma-Informed Practices (TIP). TIPs are procedures or policies that integrate an understanding of biological, psychological, and social consequences of trauma and toxic stress to reduce their negative effects on students, staff, and school systems.

Alternative Fund Use Authority

Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA) allows LEAs eligible for the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program, one of the two formula grants included in the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), to spend Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A funds with more flexibility. When exercising AFUA, LEAs may use Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A funds for activities under any of the allowable uses for SRSA grant funds (i.e., Title I, Part A; Title II, Part A; Title III; Title IV, Part A; and Title IV, Part B). For example, if an LEA has depleted both its REAP and Title IV, Part A funds and is seeking to supplement distance learning resources, the LEA could exercise AFUA to use any remaining Title II, Part A funds toward purchasing supplemental online resources such as digital practice problems or online reading materials. LEAs must be eligible for SRSA, but do not need to apply for (or receive) SRSA funds to use AFUA. An LEA must notify its SEA of its intent to exercise this authority by the state-established deadline. For more information on AFUA see the REAP website or see Section 5211(a) of the ESEA, as amended.

When Crisis Calls – Look to Schools’ First and Forever Responders!

The National Comprehensive Center wrote a blog When Crisis Calls – Look to Schools’ First and Forever Responders!, sharing the importance of supporting the teacher workforce to ensure continuity of learning for students. The blog highlights the paper, Schools' First and Forever Responders: Preparing and Supporting Teachers in the Time of COVID-19 which describes the challenges schools currently face, and offers six considerations that can guide and support actions at district and school levels.

Updated Resources Found at the Impact Aid Grant System Portal

Have you visited the Impact Aid portal lately? If you are an Impact Aid applicant, you may visit the portal at any time at https://impactaid.ed.gov/ to see updated information and resources available to your school district. Recent additions include updated FAQs on how to change your LEA’s core user, what to do if your user account is locked, and training for amending an Impact Aid application. 

Help is always available by phone (202) 260-3858 or email at Impact.Aid@ed.gov.

How States and Districts Support Evidence Use in School Improvement

In June, the Department’s Institute of Education Sciences released a study snapshot entitled How States and Districts Support Evidence Use in School Improvement. Earlier this year, the Department’s Title I team released a draft document, Within-District Allocations Under Title I, Part A of the ESEA, for public comment. A final version will be released later this year.

Returning to School: A Toolkit for Principals: In the Classroom, at Home, or Both – Reuniting and Moving Forward Together

The National Comprehensive Center published Returning to School: A Toolkit for Principals, which is one in a series of eight resources to guide principals in their decision making. It is based on the toolkit developed for the Principal Leadership Academy (PLA) at the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). The PLA is designed and managed by BIE personnel, with support from the Region 13 Comprehensive Center, to provide intensive, tiered, job-embedded training and support for school leaders.

Rural Community Toolbox

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently launched the Rural Community Toolbox (RCTB). The RCTB is an online clearinghouse created with the express purpose of connecting rural leaders with funding, data, and information to combat drug addiction in rural America. The U.S. Department of Education was a partner agency in the development of this resource, via the Office of National Drug Control Policy Rural Interagency Workgroup.

Announcing Funding Opportunities from the Office of Indian Education

The Office of Indian Education (OIE) has two active grant competitions:

OIE published the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for the FY 20 Native American Language Program (NAL@ED) on July 14. The application deadline is August 28.

On July 17, OIE published the FY 20 Demonstration Grants for Indian Children program NIA. The application deadline is August 31.

For more information on these programs, please visit their websites: NAL@ED and Demonstration Grants for Indian Children.

An additional discretionary grant competition for the State and Tribal Education Partnerships (STEP) program closed on July 31.

OIE’s FY 20 Title VI Formula grant application closed on June 19, with 1,313 certified applications. In July 2020, OIE distributed approximately $105 million in formula grant funds to LEAs and community-based tribal education programs across the nation, while approximately $2.4 million will be distributed to Bureau of Indian Education Schools for tribal student programs to support Bureau Operated and Bureau Contract Grant schools.

Impact Aid Application Amendment Deadline Extension Reminder!

If your district completed the FY 2021 Impact Aid Program application and needs to make a correction or update, you may do so until August 31. Now is the time to check your application in the Impact Aid Grant System to ensure that all of the information is reported correctly.

Visit our portal to find our video and user guide to get started right away. Help is available by phone (202) 260-3858 or by email at Impact.Aid@ed.gov.

August Webinars: Supporting Teachers and Ensuring Equity in Schools During COVID-19 

The Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center is offering two learning opportunities in August to support teachers and to ensure equity in schools during the COVID-19 crisis. On Monday, August 17, it will host “Supporting New Teachers in the Wake of COVID-19,” in which participants will discuss their approaches to supporting classroom level and building level educators in the wake of the pandemic and the ongoing racial justice movement. On Thursday, August 27, it will air “All Hands-on Deck: School Community Collaboration for Re-Entry—Ensuring Equity in the Age of COVID-19.” In this webinar, participants will explore key strategies to school community stakeholder collaboration that ensures more equitable policies and practices during the critical school re-entry period and beyond.

Title I, Part D National Virtual Conference in August 2020

Staff of the Title I, Part D Neglected or Delinquent program, with assistance from our technical assistance center, the National Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Neglected or Delinquent Children and Youth (NDTAC), will host a virtual conference for state directors on August 24, 26, and 28. The virtual conference, which replaces an in-person event originally scheduled for May 2020, will focus on strategies to assist students in facilities for neglected or delinquent students to make a successful transition back to K–12 schools, to higher education, or to the workplace. 

Recap: 21st Century Community Learning Centers Symposium

On July 14–16, the Department held its virtual summer symposium for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant program. The meeting brought together state leaders, 21st CCLC practitioners, technical assistance providers, evaluators, federal partners, and other out-of-school time workers in a virtual space to learn about out-of-school time work across the country. More than 2,700 individuals joined six plenary sessions and more than 90 breakout sessions. The meeting focused on technical assistance, program requirements, and what states and practitioners in the field need most.

Recap: NAESPA Conference

The Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) presented on allowable uses of REAP funds and the Alternative Fund Use Authority at the recent NAESPA 2020 Summer Meeting. The presentation outlined how REAP funds can be used, as well as examples of allowable activities under Title I, Part A; Title II, Part A; Title III; Title IV, Part A; and Title IV, Part B of the ESEA. The presentation also included additional resources for rural schools regarding COVID-19 and funding opportunities. More information on the presentation can be found here. More information on the allowable uses of REAP funds can be found on our website.

Recap: Office of Migrant Education Meetings

The Office of Migrant Education (OME) hosted a virtual Technical Assistance Meeting and New Directors’ Orientation on July 14–16. During this interactive, virtual meeting, sessions were held for all High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) directors on various topics, including project evaluation and recruitment and retention of program participants. OME also provided professional learning to new HEP and CAMP directors on program requirements and kicked off the peer-to-peer Mentoring Initiative for 2020. The Mentoring Initiative is a collaborative endeavor with the HEP and CAMP Association and pairs new and veteran HEP and CAMP directors for information-sharing and peer-to-peer support. 

OME will host a virtual Annual Directors’ Meeting for HEP and CAMP Directors from September 14–16.