State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Additional Tools to Support Educators in Strengthening Distance Learning Instruction

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced today that the California Department of Education (CDE) has released a new tool—Guidance on Best Practices for Distance Learning Instructional Planning—to support educators that are implementing distance learning instruction.

“Distance learning will be with us in some form moving forward, even as schools may be allowed to begin reopening in various capacities. We are committed to offering real-time, actionable support to our educators as we all lean into this new reality,” Thurmond said. "Through continued investments in educator training—and increased, proactive family engagement—I am confident that our schools will reach and engage more students as we move through this challenging period together.”

The new guidance document offers suggestions in four key areas: clear definitions of instructional models and language, an overview of required daily minutes for the 2020-21 school year and considerations for instruction both with live interaction and without live interaction, research-based principles for school districts to consider as they prepare to re-open, and ideas for how educators may structure learning.

Other topic areas include digital platforms and assessments, along with ways to support families and staff when implementing distance learning

The Implementation Tool: Guidance on Best Practices for Distance Learning Instructional Planning is the latest update to the CDE’s Guidebook for the Safe Reopening of California's Public Schools web page. More updates are expected during the upcoming school year. Distance learning program questions should be referred to distancelearning@cde.ca.gov.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100