12:08 PM: Just forwarded to us by a Seattle Public Schools employee, this letter to district-wide staff:

At Seattle Public Schools, science and data continue to ground our response to COVID-19. We have been monitoring reports of increased COVID-19 cases in our community and are in close communication with Public Health Seattle & King County, OSPI, the Governor’s office, and neighboring school districts. We can’t imagine a way to open schools without the risk of significant transmission of COVID-19 based on the current trajectory of infections in King County. Superintendent Juneau is recommending to the School Board that Seattle Public Schools start the 2020-21 school year remotely.

We will follow the remote instruction model until the risk of significant transmission of COVID-19 has decreased enough to resume in-person instruction. The School Board will vote on the Superintendent’s recommendation and an associated plan for fall 2020 on August 12.

We know this will be a disappointment to our passionate educators who have devoted their careers to supporting students in-person, and for many of our students and families who rely on the relationships with adults in their school.

It is our responsibility as a school district to ensure that all students succeed in their education, no matter the circumstances. Thank you for your hard work laying the groundwork for high-quality remote learning and for thoughtfully engaging, planning, and refining our remote learning practices with over 15,000 students this summer. We have distributed over 2,000 internet hot spots and 25,000 devices to students to support learning, and we will continue to assess and fill technology gaps around the district to support student access to remote instruction. Students should not and cannot be left behind due to lack of access to a reliable internet connection and technology. Thank you to our staff who continue to work tirelessly to support students.

Additionally, all educators will be provided with training to ensure live, high-quality remote instruction with a predictable and consistent schedule on common platforms, as well as racial equity training. Families have shared that students’ mental health and wellness is a top concern, and these supports will be prioritized as we reopen school online in partnership with licensed community mental health providers. Additionally, SPS will make sure our students receiving special education services are provided instruction in alignment with students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans – which may include small group instruction if it is determined that services can be provided safely in-person and services cannot be accessed successfully through remote learning.

We understand that this decision for remote learning may cause frustration and hardships for many families and staff. We will be working with the Seattle Council PTSA, the City, and other community partners to develop community-generated solutions for childcare and learning at home. We will also continue to provide childcare in our buildings for essential staff in partnership with the City, as well as provide meals for students at our meal sites across the city.

More information, including specifics around school schedules, will be shared as soon as possible. As the environment and information around COVID-19 continues to shift and change, we will adapt and respond as quickly as possible. In the meantime, please check our website for the most up-to-date information, including a FAQ that will be published this Friday, July 24: www.seattleschools.org/fall-planning.

Followups to come.

12:28 PM: SPS also has sent a news release about this – see it here.

ADDED 1:50 PM: The Seattle Council PTSA sent this statement about the announcement:

Seattle Council PTSA recognizes the complexity of the decision of recommending remote learning for Fall 2020. As the largest parent advocacy organization in the largest school district in the State of Washington, we stand with our families and center the health, safety, and well being of our students as our highest priority.

We demand from the District (SPS), the School Board, the educators union (SEA), the City of Seattle, King County, and Governor’s office the following:

-Robust, reliable, equitable remote learning to all students, with a specif focus on students furthest from educational justice, students receiving special education services, students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness and English Language Learning students;

-High-quality child care solutions for all families in need through authentic collaboration and partnership with community based organizations;

-Collaboration between the above-mentioned entities to pursue solutions for those that cannot access education online to find safe spaces for students and teachers to come together. Outdoor education is a very important topic to discuss and collaborate;

-Appropriate budget to offer robust mental health support to our communities;

-Mandatory anti-bias, anti-racist training to all educators, building administrators, staff, and childcare providers serving Seattle Public Schools students;

-Authentic Family Engagement with clear and transparent communication to families and community partners who support learning and care for our children.

We are committed to supporting our communities and holding the District, Union, City, County, and State leadership accountable on behalf of the more than 54,000 students in Seattle Public Schools.