Fordham Institute's report on lessons learned during remote learning

Here's the PDF.

Some notes:

 KIPP DC created this new Maslowe's hierarchy:

Staying in touch with students and families wasn’t just about providing social and emotional support; it was also essential to keeping kids learning. The charter networks are data-driven organizations, and they doubled down on this during the crisis to learn what was and wasn’t working, employing clear goals and metrics to monitor, with dashboards that helped educators decide what to keep or change. The networks leveraged their previous investments in becoming learning organizations that could quickly build pilots, try them, gather data, learn from them, and pivot, akin to the “lean startup” innovation methodology (a method for increasing the success rate of innovative products and services through rapid prototyping and quick feedback loops).38 This use of data happened at the network school and classroom levels, with educators systematically improving lessons via trials, observation, coaching, feedback, and iterations.

A strong finding from the interviews was the central importance of regularly reaching out to students and families, including providing social and emotional support and development. This came up in nearly every interview. Most networks had an advisor or counselor system (operating before and during the pandemic), allowing them to check in on student and family needs, provide emotional support, and gather feedback on how remote learning was going among their pupils. One striking observation was how thoughtfully and systematically the networks reached out individually to students and parents, which seemed a rare practice in other schools (or an aspiration deemed to be operationally impractical).

Encourage teachers and staff to maintain a growth and innovation mindset as educators move up the steep learning curve of figuring out how to teach with these new tools.

Focus on fundamentals (for example, reading as a gateway to learning other subjects).

Ensure lessons include many opportunities for active learning, with students engaging directly with the material, instructor, and their peers

Make creative use of teaching teams, with smart use of specialization and collaboration.

Assess students effectively so educators can monitor progress and diagnose where students are and what they need.

I really like the "design principles" on pp. 21-22.  The best is the one from "Achievement First" because of the way they're written.  The "we need a simple..." makes it really easy to understand.

• We need to lead with our “care for the whole person” value and keep our community together. We need to have enough touchpoints and direct contacts to make sure we have a pulse on our kids and each other. 

• We create a shared “container.” Having a consistent instructional approach and schedule will enable efficiencies (family communication, tech issues, and curriculum design) and collaboration.

 • We need a simple, clear plan that we can execute well. None of us has ever done this before. The more complexity we add, the harder it will be to do it well.

 • We need continuity and consistency. We—our scholars, teachers, and families—need consistent routines for remote learning and remote community that will become a source of stability and comfort. 

• We are designing for “most.” There will be no effective plan that works for every single student, parent, and teacher. We will need flexibility and extra support for the students, families, and staff who need it.