Goodrich-On April 27 the school board of trustees gathered via Mi StreamNet and announced a continuous learning plan, following Governor Gretchen Whitmer Executive Order 2020-35, that suspended K-12 education during the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. The plan was required to be completed and submitted to the state by no later than April 29.
“The (Goodrich Schools) plan has been submitted and is at the state level now,” said Wayne Wright, district superintendent. “Without this plan being in place we would not receive anymore funding after the end of April.”
The district includes about 2,000 students and 100 teachers. Approximately, 30 percent of the school year was remaining when classes were cancelled in March. Since that administrators, staff, parents and students have been grappling with learning at home social distancing due to the coronavirus.

Wright said administrators are meeting weekly via Zoom to discuss the progress of this plan and look at any changes that may be necessary. If students are not connecting via Zoom or responding to assignments, school staff members are notifying the building principals who are contacting the parents of those students.
“They’re changes that can be made (to the plan) and those are to be submitted to the state,” he added. “In addition, the (school building) administrators are meeting with staff on a weekly basis to discuss the progress of students as they are going through their lessons and discussing the number of students not connecting. This is something we have not done before, it’s strictly new to us. We’ll continue to meet (via Zoom) with teachers and administrator until the end of the school year for sure. We have no idea what normalcy will be as we move forward.”

“We are trying to continue education as much as we can,” said Wright. “We don’t want to see anyone fall further behind. We have a ‘summer slide’ already that takes place every year we try not to make that slide any worse than it has been.”

Districts must develop a plan for the remainder of the school year to provide at-home learning opportunities for students, and submit an application for approval by the district’s Intermediate School District or charter school authorizer. Upon approval by the ISD/Authorizer, will submit plans to Michigan Department of Education and the “waiver” for remainder days/hours will be automatically granted. The plan must include:

• Description of plan and type of delivery for continued instruction;
• Commitment to continue providing food distribution, pay all school employees, continue providing mental health services, and support efforts to provide childcare for essential workforce;
• If the plan relies on some online instruction, the district should ensure every student has access to an appropriate device with an ability to connect to the internet. Students and families should not be penalized for an inability to fully participate in the plan;
• Districts must involve teachers and staff in development of the plan.
• Staff Pay and Benefits: The Executive order requires all staff be paid, and continue receiving their health care and retirement benefits throughout the closure period. The EO provides the necessary funding for districts to pay all staff from the day the school closure order began (March 11) through the end of the school year;
• Educator Evaluations: Suspends requirements for educator evaluations for this school year;
• Teacher Certification and Continuing Education: Gives superintendent additional flexibility to issue initial educator certifications and renewals, to address barriers caused by COVID-19;
• Attendance: Waive 75 percent attendance rule since the state emergency was declared;
• Facilities: District facilities may be used by public school employees and contractors to facilitate distance learning and meal delivery, with only absolutely necessary work being done in-person, and social distancing guidelines are followed;
• School Calendar: Districts are allowed to adopt a balanced calendar for the 2019-2020 school year, or to begin the 2020-2021 school year before Labor Day without requiring an additional waiver; calendar and schedule are still a subject of collective bargaining;
• Assessments: All spring assessments are cancelled, and all laws requiring standardized testing data are suspended (A-F school grading, Third Grade Reading retention, educator evaluation, partnership district goals for this year). SAT is postponed for rising seniors until the fall, other high school students will be able to take PSAT in the fall;
• High School Graduation/Michigan Merit Curriculum: Districts must develop a plan/process to give grades to seniors, award credits needed for graduation, certify transcripts, and confer diplomas. Districts encouraged to award credit for prior learning/content mastery and/or utilize project based learning, a portfolio/resume approach, or a culminating activity;
• Special Education: Districts must follow guidance from US Department of Education, and support students and their Individual Education Plans (IEP) to the fullest extent possible, but recognizes that districts will need to provide compensatory services to students with special needs when the emergency is lifted. Encourages Michigan Department of Education to seek additional guidance, flexibility, and waivers from the US Department of Education related to students with IEPs and 504 plans.
• Michigan Public School Employee Retirement Service: School closure will not affect contributions or accrual of service credits for MPSERS.
• Collective Bargaining: Collective bargaining agreements must not be infringed by implementation of the Executive Order.
• PPE and Supplies: Permits and encourages districts to donate unused PPE, cleaning supplies and other materials to their local emergency management program.