Updated guidance from DOE on remote learning

Here is the email sent by DOE to principals by Deputy Chancellor Dan Weisberg on Wednesday that was rather confusingly reported yesterday by Gothamist, along with the three attached docs below.

1) Memo of agreement between the DOE and UFT, dated Aug. 2021, entitled "Pivot to Remote."

 2) DOE deck, entitled "Emergency Pivot to Remote" updated Jan.12, 2022.

3) DOE memo entitled "Labor Field Guidance - Digital Classroom" updated Jan.12, 2022.

Below that is an excerpt of an email sent to principals by their union, the CSA, plus new Attendance rules, updated by DOE on Jan. 14, 2022.

Any student at home with a positive Covid test "is entitled to asynchronous instruction and access to Office Hours." At the discretion of teachers and their principals, students at home for other reasons may be provided with this instruction and teachers will be paid additionally for it.  Where the funding will come from is as yet unclear -- i.e. whether the DOE will pay for this centrally or that schools will have to cover the cost from their limited budgets..

From: First Deputy Chancellor Dan Weisberg <FirstDeputyChancellor@schools.nyc.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2022 8:52 PM
Subject: Updated DOE/UFT Pivot to Remote MOA - Providing Instruction to Students Who Are Absent Due to COVID

I’m writing to provide some clarification around how to address teaching staff who provide asynchronous instruction and office hours to students who are absent due to COVID.  

 

The definition of a "partial closure" as outlined in the Memorandum of Agreement with UFT (MOA) regarding emergency closures has been updated to reflect new Situation Room procedures for reporting positive COVID-19 cases. Effective immediately, any student that has a positive COVID-19 test (at-home, rapid, PCR test, etc.) is entitled to asynchronous instruction and access to Office Hours as outlined in the Pivot to Remote MOA and as outlined in the updated Field Guidance and Overview of the Agreement.  

  

Teachers providing asynchronous instruction and office hours to these students are entitled to compensation as per the pivot to remote MOA. A "partial closure" is now defined as when any part of a class is in isolation or is unable to attend in-person instruction due to a positive COVID-19 test as described above.   

  

Note that the scenarios listed below are not currently considered partial closures and teachers cannot be required to provide asynchronous instruction and Office Hours as set forth in the MOA:   

• If a student fails the health screen and there is no COVID-19 test  
• A student is absent for non-COVID reasons   
• A family is keeping a student home and is requesting all assignments  
  

For these students, staff are expected to engage in normal past practices with respect to non-COVID student absences. However, if staff are willing and their supervisor approves, staff may provide Office Hours and asynchronous instruction to these students and shall be compensated accordingly.   

Please feel free to reach out to your Senior Field Counsel with any questions.  

Thank you again for your tireless service and leadership.  

Sincerely, 
Dan Weisberg 
First Deputy Chancellor

Excerpt from email sent to principals from their union, the CSA:

The definition of a "partial closure" as outlined in the Memorandum of Agreement with UFT (MOA) regarding emergency closures has been updated to reflect new Situation Room procedures for reporting positive COVID-19 cases. Effective immediately, any student that has a positive COVID-19 test (at-home, rapid, PCR test, etc.) is entitled to asynchronous instruction and access to Office Hours as outlined in the Pivot to Remote MOA and as outlined in the updated Field Guidance and Overview of the Agreement.

Teachers providing asynchronous instruction and office hours to these students are entitled to compensation as per the pivot to remote MOA. A "partial closure" is now defined as when any part of a class is in isolation or is unable to attend in-person instruction due to a positive COVID-19 test as described above.

Note that the scenarios listed below are not currently considered partial closures and teachers cannot be required to provide asynchronous instruction and Office Hours as set forth in the MOA:

- If a student fails the health screen and there is no COVID-19 test
- A student is absent for non-COVID reasons
- A family is keeping a student home and is requesting all assignments

For these students, staff are expected to engage in normal past practices with respect to non-COVID student absences. However, if staff are willing and their supervisor approves, staff may provide Office Hours and asynchronous instruction to these students and shall be compensated accordingly.