Jun 1, 2020 — great deal of planning. School districts should create Restart Committees to coordinate the overall reopening plan. These Committees should
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Governor Philip D. Murphy Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Education State Board of Education Members Kathy Goldenberg, President Andrew J. Mulvihill, Vice President Arcelio Aponte Mary Beth Berry Elaine Bobrove Fatimah Burnam-Watkins Ronald K. Butcher Jack Fornaro Mary Elizabeth Gazi Nedd James Johnson, Ed. D. Ernest P. Lepore Joseph Ricca, Jr., Ed.D. Sabrina Capoli, Student Representative 2020-2021 School Year
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Acknowledgments The New Jersey Department of Education would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to this report. Your meaningful input, purposeful recommendations, and willingness to as we move forward on our path to recovery. We would like to extend our deep appreciation to representatives from the following organizations, school districts, departments, and agencies: Abbott Leadership InstituteAdvocates for Children of New Jersey American Federation of Teachers New Jersey Association of Schools and Agencies for theHandicappedBoys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey Carteret Public Schools Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health at Montclair State University Center for Counseling Services Center for Family Resources Center for Family Services Clayton Public Schools Community Child Care Solutions Cranford Public School District Diocese of Trenton/Chair of NJDOE Nonpublic Advisory Committee Education Law Center Educational Partnership for Instructing Children (EPIC) Schools Advocates for Children of New Jersey Garden State Coalition of Schools Gateway Community Action Partnership Hillsborough Township Public Schools Hudson County Social Emotion Character Development Consortium Jersey City Public Schools JerseyCAN Lenape Regional High School DistrictLong Branch Public School DistrictManalapan-Englishtown School DistrictMarlboro Township Public Schools Middletown School DistrictMillstone Township School District Mount Olive School District National Institute for Early Education Research New Jersey Alliance for Social-Emotional and Character Development New Jersey Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development New Jersey Association of Pupil Services AdministratorsNew Jersey Association of School AdministratorsNew Jersey Association of School Business New Jersey Association of School Librarians New Jersey Association of Student Councils New Jersey Business & Industry Association New Jersey Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics New Jersey Charter Schools Association New Jersey Department of Agriculture New Jersey Department of Children and Families 3 | New Jersey Department of Education nj.gov/education
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New Jersey Department of HealthNew Jersey Department of Human ServicesNew Jersey Department of TreasuryNew Jersey Education AssociationNew Jersey Principals and SupervisorsAssociationNew Jersey School Age Care CoalitionNew Jersey School Boards AssociationNew Jersey School Buildings and Grounds AssociationNew Jersey School Counselor AssociationNew Jersey School Nutrition AssociationNew Jersey Schools Development AuthorityNew Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic AssociationNew Jersey State School Nurses AssociationNew Jersey Teachers of English to Speakersof Other Languages/New Jersey Bilingual EducatorsNew Jersey YMCA AllianceNew Jersey Joint Council of County SpecialServices School DistrictsNew Parent Teacher AssociationNewark Public SchoolsOcean City School DistrictOld Bridge Township Public Schools Passaic County Technical-Vocational School DistrictPaterson Education Fund Red Bank Regional High School DistrictRiver Edge Public Schools Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care Traumatic Loss Coalition Rutgers University Social Emotional and Character Development Lab Save Our Schools School Culture and Climate Initiative Social Emotional Learning Alliance for New Jersey South Brunswick Board of Education Statewide Parent Advocacy Network Stockton University Tabernacle Township School District Teach Coalition We Raise New Jersey Weehawken Township School District Wharton Borough Public Schools Windsor Regional School DistrictYCS Institute for Infant and Preschool Mental Health4 | New Jersey Department of Education nj.gov/education
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Table of Contents 6 Foreword 8 Executive Summary 15 Conditions for Learning 16 Health and Safety: Standards for Establishing Safe and Healthy Conditions for Learning 32 Academic, Social, and Behavioral Supports 33 Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and School Culture and Climate 38 Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) 39 Wraparound Supports 43 Food Service and Distribution 44 Quality Child Care 45 Leadership and Planning 46 Requirements to Reopen: Knowns and Unknowns 49 Scheduling 60 Athletics 61 Policy and Funding 62 School Funding 73 Continuity of Learning 74 Ensuring the Delivery of Special Education and Related Services to Students with Disabilities 75 Technology and Connectivity 76 Curriculum, Instruction and Assessments82 Professional Learning 84 Career and Technical Education (CTE) 90 Future Considerations 91 Appendix A: Major COVID-19 Related Ev ents in Education 93 Appendix B: Additional Resources 103 Appendix C: Statutes and Regulations 5 | New Jersey Department of Education nj.gov/education
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Foreword By New Jersey Commissioner of Education Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D Educators, Students, Families, and New Jerseyans: On March 16, 2020, Governor Murphy issued Executive Order 104, calling for schools to halt in-person instruction to protect the State from the spread of COVID-19. That transitioned critical services to remote settings; families turned their living rooms into classrooms; and students took on new lives balancing their studies with the deep personal and socioemotional impacts of this pandemic. I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all of you for demonstrating grace and resilience while keeping our communities safe. Looking forward, I know that many districts are working to re-envision the next school year to determine what education looks like in the presence of COVID-19. I am pleased to present this guidance to provide districts with a set of standards to assist in the process of reopening schools. Non-public schools are encouraged to also utilize this document to guide their reopening strategies and anticipate the health and safety standards that are likely to accompany the return to in-person instruction.As we present this guidance, New Jersey is in Stage 2 of The Road Back: Restoring Economic Health Through Public Health . As Governor Murphy reminds us, every decision to reopen a sector of New Jersey is determined by data demonstrating the decline in the spread of COVID-19. Data determines expectation that the gating criteria driving our reopening will continue to improve. Accordingly, absent a shift in the public health data, school buildings will open in some capacity for in-person instruction and operations in the Fall. The reopening of our schools will include necessary limitations to protect the health and safety of our students and staff. This guidance is built upon that premise, but with the recognition that we must be ready to adjust our educational models should the spread of the virus and consistent health data require it. To that end, each district will be expected to develop, in collaboration with community stakeholders, public health. The conduct permitted will be controlled by Executive Order and thus, is subject to change. The intent of this guidance is to provide districts with the information necessary, to the may help districts in strategizing ways to adhere to the anticipated minimum reopening standards. 6 | New Jersey Department of Education nj.gov/education
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Executive Summary The COVID-19 pandemic impacted every aspect of our lives. As we look to the future and plan for students to return to schools in-person this fall, we must recognize and prepare for the ways the virus and necessary public health response has changed and will change the way students learn. This Restart and Recovery Plan provides educators and administrators with the information unique needs during this unprecedented time. The Plan presents guidance related to four key subject areas: 1. Conditions for Learning2. Leadership and Planning3. Policy and Funding 4. Continuity of Learning districts and schools should incorporate into their thinking about reopening, but do not represent necessary components of plans. Conditions for Learning At a minimum, school districts must adopt a policy for screening students and employees for symptoms of COVID-19 and history of exposure and must strive for social distancing within the nj.gov/education 8 | New Jersey Department of Education
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classroom and on school buses. If schools are not able to maintain this physical distance, additional face the same direction. Each school district must also adopt cleaning and disinfecting procedures. School staff and visitors are required to wear face coverings unless doing so would inhibit the wear face coverings and are required to do so when social distancing cannot be maintained, unless use of face coverings may be impractical for young children or individuals with disabilities. that schools must address in their restart plans: 1. General Health and Safety Guidelines ΠIn all stages and phases of pandemic response and recovery, schools must comply with Center for Disease Control (CDC), state, and local guidelines. Schools must also provide reasonable accommodations for staff and students at higher risk for severe illness and promote behaviors that reduce spread, such as social distancing, frequent hand washing, and the use of face coverings. 2. Classrooms, Testing, and Therapy Rooms ΠSchools and districts must allow for social face coverings are required, and face coverings are always required for visitors and staff objects, ensure indoor facilities have adequate ventilation, prepare and maintain hand sanitizing stations, and ensure students wash hands frequently. 3. Transportation ΠSchool districts should maintain social distancing practices on buses to the maximum extent practicable and adopt best practices for cleaning and disinfecting all vehicles used for transporting students. If maintaining social distancing is not possible, all students who are able must wear face coverings while on busses. 4. Student Flow, Entry, Exit, and Common Areas ΠSchool district reopening plans should establish the process and location for student and staff health screenings. This should include providing physical guides, such as tape on floors or sidewalks and signs on walls, to help ensure that staff and students remain at least six feet apart. When it is not possible to maintain physical distancing, schools must require the use of face coverings. 5. Screening, PPE, and Response to Students and Staff Presenting Symptoms ΠSchool districts must adopt a policy for safely and respectfully screening students and employees for symptoms of and history of exposure to COVID-19. Students and staff with symptoms related to COVID-19 must be safely and respectfully isolated from others. If a school district becomes aware that an individual who has spent time in a district facility tests positive for 6. Contact Tracing ΠContact tracing is the process used to identify those who have come into contact with people who have tested positive for many contagious diseases, including COVID-19. It is a long-standing practice and is an integral function of local health departments. All school district administrators, school safety specialists, counselors, and any other staff deemed appropriate by the school district, should be provided with information regarding the role of contact tracing in keeping school communities safe from the spread of contagious disease. School districts should collaborate with the local health department and engage their school nurses to develop contact tracing policies and procedures, as well as educate the broader school community on the importance of contact tracing. 7. Facilities Cleaning Practices ΠSchool districts must continue to adhere to existing required health department as they arise. School districts must also develop a schedule for increased routine cleaning and disinfecting, especially of frequently touched surfaces and objects, and 9 | nj.gov/education New Jersey Department of Education
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sanitize bathrooms daily and between use as much as possible. 8. Meals Œ If cafeterias or other group dining areas are in use, school districts must stagger eating times to allow for social distancing and disinfecting of the area between groups. Additionally, districts must discontinue family-style, self-service, and buffet-style dining and maintain social distancing. Cafeteria staff must wash their hands immediately after removing gloves and after directly handling used food service items. 9. Recess/Physical Education Œ School districts must complete an inventory of outdoor spaces and mark off areas to ensure separation between students. Recess must be staggered by groups and staff must disinfect playground equipment and other shared equipment between uses. School districts should also consider closing locker rooms and encouraging students to wear comfortable clothing and safe footwear to school so they can participate in physical education classes without needing to change. 10. Extracurricular Activities and Use of Facilities Outside of School Hours Œ All extracurricular activities must comply with applicable social distancing requirements and hygiene protocol. External community organizations that use school facilities must follow district guidance on health and safety protocols. also consider the impact of social isolation on both educators and students. Based on input from New Jersey stakeholders and educators from across the country, the NJDOE recommends school district teams include the following elements in their reopening plans: Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and School Climate and Culture ŒSocial emotional learning (SEL) will be critical in re-engaging students, supporting adults, rebuilding relationships, and creating a foundation for academic learning. To this end, school districts are encouraged to thoughtfully plan around the well-being of educators so they can support the social and emotional well-being and learning needs of their students, acknowledge and prepare for the potential trauma that staff and students have faced during the COVID-19 school closures, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Œ MTSS is a systematic approach to prevention, intervention, and enrichment in grades PK-12 for academics and behavior that offers educators and families a mechanism to identify individual students who need extra support. In partnership with leaders and educators from districts experienced with implementing engagement, and data-based decision making as critical components for districts moving toward MTSS. Wraparound Supports Œ Wraparound services differ from traditional school-based services in their comprehensive approach to addressing the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of students with interventions both inside and outside of the school environment. These include mental health support, primary health and dental care, family engagement, expanded before-school and after-school and summer learning time, and mentoring programs. Food Service and Distribution Œ School meals are critical to student health and well-being, especially for low-income students, and the NJDOE considers it a moral imperative to ensure during all phases of school reopening. The Department is working with the Departments of Agriculture and Health to ensure that school district concerns related to food service are addressed as more guidance is made available. Quality Child Care Œ Child care will be needed as schools reopen, particularly in instances 10 | New Jersey Department of Education nj.gov/education
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would not utilize child care will now require it. The NJDOE encourages schools to involve child child care providers, and plan to transport students from school to child care facilities. Leadership and Planning Adjusting the school environment to ensure the health and safety of students and staff will require a great deal of planning. School districts should create Restart Committees to coordinate the overall reopening plan. These Committees should include district- and school-level administrators, school board members or charter trustees, local education association representatives, educators, parents, and students.School districts should also establish school-based Pandemic Response Teams to centralize, expedite, and implement COVID-19-related decision-making. Each school team should have a liaison that reports to district-level administrators to ensure coordinated actions across the district. Pandemic Response Teams should include a cross section of administrators, teachers and staff, and parents and should represent a cross-section of the school community including its gender and racial diversity. The Restart Committee should work closely with school Pandemic Response Teams, health departments, and others in municipal and county government to develop district plans that address the ten Critical Areas of Operation. The NJDOE also recommends they address the following critical issues:Scheduling some capacity. Scheduling decisions should be informed by careful evaluation of the health and safety standards and the most up to date guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), as well the stakeholder input on the needs of all students and the realities of each unique district. School district polices for attendance and instructional time may require ΠRegardless of the envir onment, school districts should clearly communicate with teachers regarding expectations and support for student learning. School reopening plans and decision-making throughout the school year should consider unique needs of each staff member, such as access to technology, social and emotional health, and child care concerns. Staff roles will also have to expand to accommodate new health and safety regulations. maintain safety according to guidelines. Instructional and non-instructional staff schedules may also include designated time to support school building logistics required to maintain health and safety requirements. Athletics ΠThe New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) has established a COVID-19 Medical Advisory Task Force (MATF) responsible for providing guidance to allow New Jersey high school student-athletes to return to athletics as soon and as safely as possible. The NJSIAA is also convening a Sports Advisory Task Force that will be comprised of athletic directors from across the State and that will be charged with reviewing State and local health guidelines, as well as NJDOE guidance, regarding the 2020-2021 school year to determine, among other things, the extent to which changes may be needed for each interscholastic sports season. 11 | New Jersey Department of Education nj.gov/education
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