No Bulletins, CISA Releases Anonymous Threat Response Guidance and Toolkit for K-12 Schools, Free COVID-19 Tests for LEAs, Required Student Race and Ethnicity Data Reporting

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent this bulletin at 10/10/2024 03:49 PM PDT

_{This message is official correspondence from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. For general questions, contact Karen.Conway@k12.wa.us.}

Bulletins

This week's bulletins:

No Bulletins issued for this time period.

Of Notable Interest

CISA Releases Anonymous Threat Response Guidance and Toolkit for K-12 Schools

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools. This new resource outlines steps school leaders can take to assess and respond to anonymous threats, better prepare for and prevent future threats and work in coordination with law enforcement and other local partners when threats arise.

Free COVID-19 Tests for LEAs

Joint letter from U.S. Department of Education Secretary Cardona and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Cohen:

Thank you for your continued dedication to keeping students and staff safe and schools open for in-person learning. Infection rates from COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory viruses are typically higher during the fall and winter months. To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 – and to support strong school attendance so that students can safely learn in person – the U.S. Department of Education (ED), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is pleased to offer free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests to interested local educational agencies (LEAs).

LEAs, including public school districts and public charter school districts, may request over-the-counter rapid antigen COVID-19 self-tests free of charge for their students, families, staff, and school communities. These self-tests are easy to use and can play an important role in containing the spread of the virus in schools and communities. We encourage LEAs to make use of this free COVID-19 test offering, which schools may use, for example, to stock school nurses’ offices and main offices with tests; to send test kits home with students or parents; or to distribute within their communities to put these valuable safeguards in the hands of students, parents, and staff who need them.

Everyone can take steps to prevent illness from spreading and keep up consistent, regular school attendance. As respiratory virus season approaches, we remind all school and district leaders to review the latest information on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses in schools, including recommendations on testing, with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website, Preventing Spread of Infections in K-12 Schools. The guidance includes everyday actions that schools can take to prevent and control the spread of respiratory and stomach viruses, such as influenza and norovirus, and bacterial illness, such as strep throat.

Districts and schools are encouraged to share resources with parents on how to keep kids healthy and in school so that they benefit from in-person instruction and supportive relationships. The CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics, Attendance Works and the National Association of School Nurses, and other organizations offer resources to help parents navigate whether to send kids to school and how to support consistent school attendance while also preventing the spread of illness. As always, districts should regularly inform parents about their health and attendance policies, and parents should speak to their pediatricians with questions about their child’s health.

Additionally, the CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and older receive updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 and flu vaccines. Vaccines are the best defense against viruses that can cause serious illness and are updated to protect against the viruses in communities this season. Families can go to Vaccines.gov, review the CDC’s webpage on Immunizations for Respiratory Viruses Prevention, or talk with their child’s doctor to get started.

Thank you again for all you do to provide safe and healthy learning environments for students. Our agencies remain committed to partnering with school leaders to support everyday school attendance and keep school communities healthy.

Required Student Race and Ethnicity Data Reporting

All public schools and school districts in Washington state are required to collect student ethnicity and race data and report their findings to OSPI annually. OSPI has collected these data in CEDARS since 2009, keeping pace with state and federal changes along the way. OSPI has updated the resources on CEDARS Training and Materials to include supports for districts to improve data quality and to explain the collection to families. OSPI appreciates district support in collecting and reporting this information to better understand and improve teaching and learning across Washington. Please reach out to CISL@k12.wa.us with any questions.

ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES
Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com.

OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director, P.O. Box 47200, Olympia, WA 98504-7200, 360-725-6162 (TTY: 360-664-3631), equity@k12.wa.us.

This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.