Learning Continuity and Attendance Plan timeline
The final template and instructions for the Learning Continuity Plan will be posted on the CDE website on or before Aug. 1. The plan must be adopted by a school or county office of education board by Sept. 30. Two public meetings are required to adopt the plan: one to present it at a public hearing and the other for adoption after consideration of stakeholder feedback. Considering the tight timeline for adoption, boards may call a special meeting for the presentation or adoption of the plan. The board meeting agenda must be posted at least 72 hours prior to the meeting and must include a link to where the draft Learning Continuity and Attendance Plan is posted.
Once the plan has been adopted, LEAs must submit it to the reviewing authority within five days. Districts will submit the plan to their county superintendent, who may return it with recommendations for consideration. COEs will submit their plans to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, who also may return it with recommendations for consideration. Recommended amendments from the reviewing authority must be received by the LEA by Oct. 30, and the LEA must hold a public meeting to address the recommendations within 15 days of receipt.
Once the plan has been finalized, the LEA must post it on the homepage of their website. COEs must post their own plans in addition to the plans (or links to the plans) of the districts in their county.
Stakeholder engagement process explained
The CDE webinar emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement in the process, and representatives said that existing feedback collected since schools were abruptly shut down in the spring may be used to “the extent that prior engagement is consistent with the requirements of the Learning Continuity Plan.” That should not be the sole method, however, as the intent of the plan is to be transparent and include stakeholder engagement in the development, review and adoption of the plan.
In addition to general stakeholder feedback, the plan must be presented to an LEA’s Parent Advisory Committee and English Learner Parent Advisory Committee, if they exist. The board must respond in writing to any comments received from these groups.
During a review of the stakeholder engagement section of the document, education consultant Lidia Renteria said it allows the LEA to “tell the story of stakeholder engagement.” The section should include an LEA’s overall outreach efforts, as well as specific efforts to reach students, families, educators and other stakeholders who do not have internet access or that speak a language other than English. The section also includes a prompt to summarize the feedback received and to describe how that feedback influenced aspects of the plan.
