Weekly Update | July 27

SBE to Host Webinar on Graduation Requirements Rules At the July meeting, the State Board adopted proposed changes to graduation requirements rules.  The proposed permanent rules :  Clarify that districts can award credit based on demonstration of mastery. Recognize that districts may offer courses that meet more than one subject area graduation requirement. Increase flexibility for districts to waive Washington state history for students impacted by school closures or other disruptions due to COVID-19 or other emergencies. Join the State Board of Education staff on August 6 from 12:30-2:00 p.m. as we briefly describe these proposed changes to graduation requirement rules and answer questions from the field. Register for the webinar online! This is part of public comment period to collect input to inform rules. The Board will hold a public hearing on August 27 via Zoom, and the Board will consider adoption of final rules at the September meeting. Find more information about meetings at sbe.wa.gov/meetings .

2020 Reopening Plan Template OSPI and SBE have completed the 2020 Reopening Plan Template. Each school district, charter school, and state-tribal compact school is required to fill out the template, which is available via online survey . This is a common template derived completely from the guidance district superintendents have already received. Find the message sent from the State Board on completing the Reopening Plan Template and completing basic education verification here: Memo on Rules to Superintendents .

Partner Highlights WEA demands safety first (Washington Education Association) Superintendent Reykdal's Statement on School District Plans for Reopening School Fully Online (OSPI) Ask A Teacher - Teacher Tech Support Project (Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession) Student Voices: Focusing on the Future (Ready Washington) Reopening Washington Schools communications toolkit (ESD 113/Puget Sound ESD) Model Resolution for Districts: Reopening Plans (WSSDA) Tackling COVID-19 Together (PTA) Broad View Confused by CDC’s changing guidance on school reopening? Here are recommendations from experts not pressured by the White House (Washington Post) Science-based resources and tools for back-to-school (CDC) Microsoft unveils sweeping job training initiative to teach digital skills to 25M impacted by pandemic (GeekWire) Around Washington Summary of School Re-Opening Models and Implementation Approaches During the COVID 19 Pandemic (PDF) (UW/Dept. of Health) ‘It was just elation’: Tribes in Washington celebrate name change in other Washington (Seattle Times) Tri-Cities teachers fear it’s not safe to return to schools yet, say new surveys (Tri-City Herald) School-closure culture clash, sex-ed repeal part of Washington state schools chief race (The Columbian/Seattle Times) Will a national movement demanding racial justice help expand ethnic studies in Washington? (Seattle Times)

Equity in Education Coalition - Lunch & Learn: Education in the Time of COVID Join guest speakers Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, chair of the Education Committee in the House and Sen. Lisa Wellman, chair of the Education Committee in the Senate, and parent Tyda Ros from the Khmer community for a lunch-time webinar about going back-to-school during this pandemic. The session is August 5 from 12-1:30 p.m. Register on the EEC website .

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The SBE Vision: An education system where students are engaged in personalized education pathways that prepare them for civic engagement, careers, postsecondary education, and lifelong learning.