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Dr. Talisa Dixon Presents Superintendent's Report to Board of Education
May 8, 2020 -- Dr. Talisa Dixon presented her Superintendent's Report to the Columbus Board of Education at its virtual meeting this week. You can watch the full report above, or read a transcription below.
First, as I mentioned during my report at the last board meeting, remote learning continues for Columbus City Schools students. Our buildings may be closed, but our educators are busy engaging with our students through the CCS Online Academy.
This may be Teacher Appreciation Week, but we don’t need an official recognition to understand how absolutely critical our educators are to keeping students connected to the classroom virtually. This is certainly not an easy task, especially when many of our teachers and staff have families of their own to care for.
To all of our teachers, we see you and the amazing work you are doing -- not just during the current crisis but throughout the school year. Our teachers are the heart of the district, be it in the classroom or online, and for that, I say a heartfelt “thank you.”
I also encourage our students and families to send a message or note of encouragement to our teachers to show how much you appreciate their work. Sometimes a small gesture can go a long way, and we want to show our teachers that we care.
I also want to recognize the many important groups of staff members that were included in the video we played earlier.
- Our bus drivers for getting 40,000 students safely to and from school each day;
- Our school nurses and health services staff for looking after the health and wellbeing of our students;
- Our administrative professionals for the unwavering support they provide on a daily basis;
- Our librarians for our supporting our students and teachers and making sure they have the resources they need to teach and learn; and
- Our principals for providing leadership and creating a welcoming student-centered environment in each of our school buildings.
Giving Tuesday Now
Today has been designated as Giving Tuesday Now, a global day of giving and unity as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. I would like to say thank you to all of those individuals, businesses, and non-profit partners who have donated their time, effort, and resources to come together in this period of crises to help our communities. Columbus has been a leader in showing that we are all truly in this together.
Student Engagement
During this time of remote learning, we have been able to track the number of students who log on to Clever, the main hub for our online learning resources. At this point, we know that 69% of our students have logged onto Clever, and we are sure that many more are logging on through the individual platforms themselves -- which is more difficult for our staff to track.
One way to increase these engagement numbers is to help eliminate possible barriers, one of which we know is access to technology. We held a second round of Chromebook distribution from April 21-27 at our Central Enrollment Center to get more devices in the hands of students.
After this second round, we have now distributed more than 19,000 computers to our students. Nearly 17,000 households -- which includes more than 30,000 students -- have access to at least one district-provided Chromebook computer at this time.
If any families are still in need of a Chromebook computer, they should reach out to their student’s principal for instructions on how to get one.
Internet Access
We are also working on solutions to help families with internet access. On the agenda tonight for the Board of Education to consider is the purchase of an additional 1,000 hotspot devices from AT&T.
Last month, we purchased 600 hotspot devices from Verizon through our partnership with I Know I Can. Tonight’s additional purchase will allow us to reach more families who are in need of reliable internet access during this time of remote learning.
If any family is in need of a hotspot device, they should reach out to their student’s principal for more information.
Career Tech/Adult Education Partnership
Also on tonight’s agenda is a new endeavor with industry partner Air Force One. Our Career and Technical Education department and our Adult Education Program are working with Air Force One to develop the first multi-generational Commercial HVAC training program in the state of Ohio.
With the support of Ohio Health, Nationwide Insurance, Worthington Industries, Workforce Development Board, Ohio Means Jobs, and United Way of Central Ohio, we will provide our students with state-of-the-art training including a robust internship program.
This Industry Credential Pathway will provide career opportunities for students and district residents to move into middle-class-wage jobs that are recession-proof and provide vital services to area businesses. The median pay for HVAC professionals is $45,000.
We look forward to the opportunities this new partnership will provide to our students and the community.
Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer For CCS Families
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 provides the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to approve state agency plans for the implementation of a temporary program called Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer -- or P-EBT. This program provides families who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- or SNAP -- benefits in the amount of $5.70 for each day a school is closed due to COVID-19.
With schools in Ohio closed through the end of the school year, this is estimated to be $300 per child. The benefits are provided on an electronic benefit transfer card that is mailed to families, which they can then use to buy food at local grocery stores.
All children who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals are eligible for these benefits, not only children currently receiving SNAP benefits. Since Columbus City Schools participates in the Community Eligibility Program where all students receive free breakfast and lunch, all enrolled students in our district are eligible for the program.
The P-EBT cards will be mailed to the families of our students, or if the students are already members of a SNAP household or part of another program issued on an EBT card, P-EBT benefits will be issued on the household’s current EBT card.
Council of the Great City Schools Letter to Congress
Tonight’s agenda includes a resolution before the Board urging you to support the need and request for additional funds from the federal government.
Last week, I signed a letter along with 61 of my superintendent colleagues from the Council of the Great City Schools, to urge Congress to approve new funding for local school systems in the next coronavirus supplemental appropriations bill.
My colleagues and I have asked federal lawmakers for financial support to help offset the unexpected costs our districts are incurring in the wake of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the letter to Capitol Hill, our organization called for an additional federal allocation of $175 billion in Educational Stabilization Funds to be distributed to the local level through Title I.
The letter also urged Congress to provide an additional
- $13 billion for the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),
- $12 billion in additional Title I program funding,
- $2 billion for E-Rate, and
- emergency infrastructure funds that include public schools.
Our community relies on the tireless efforts of our teachers and school staff to educate and grow our students. We need to be proactive in seeking the crucial funds necessary to support the needs of our students and staff as we move through these uncertain times.
Class of 2020 Tele Town Hall
Last week, we hosted an online Tele Town Hall to address questions from the Class of 2020. District leaders and I answered questions, asked by our Student Ambassadors and viewers on social media, regarding graduation requirements, senior fees, prom, commencement plans, and more. Click here for the full video and written transcript.
Senior Task Force
Our Senior Task Force continues to discuss plans on how we can best honor our students in the Class of 2020. The big question on everyone’s mind is “what are we doing for graduation ceremonies.” I don’t have all of the answers tonight, but we expect the Task Force to have a decision and details in the near future.
This is a difficult, but vitally important, task that must balance the safety of our students, staff, and families and health guidelines with our desire to appropriately celebrate our students. We are taking the time to develop a thoughtful approach that will meet both of these requirements, but safety will take priority in any decision we make. I look forward to providing more details in the coming days.