2021-21 School Year Survey

Terry Walker

June 15, 2020

Dear IUSD Families,

As we have shared, IUSD will continue to inform our community of our planning efforts for the 2020-21 school year. Our Task Force is currently considering various plans to maintain continuity of instruction and provide equity and academic excellence for our more than 36,000 students. The impact of COVID-19 notwithstanding, we are committed to delivering the highest quality education we can envision while prioritizing student and staff safety.

2020-21 Family Survey

Your input is critical to our planning process. Please take a moment today to complete the District’s 2020-21 Family Survey, which is open through Wednesday, June 17. We recognize the compressed timeframe; however, the work of preparing for the new school year is an urgent and compelling task, and we want to ensure our families have time to evaluate their options.

In this survey, you will have an opportunity to provide information about your child and your family’s needs, and to identify preferred academic models for the 2020-21 school year. Please know that we consider your feedback carefully.

Academic Models

The District is reviewing the recently released guidelines and recommendations for reopening schools from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Education, as we await specific Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) direction for our county.

At this time, as California and Orange County are entering into Phase 3 of the state’s reopening criteria, IUSD is considering the following academic models to meet the needs of our students and families. We recognize the importance of both in-person and online distance learning options; however, the models may look different at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Your feedback will serve to guide our consideration of options that best align with our families’ interests:

Traditional - Students receive instruction on-campus, in-person 5 days a week to the greatest extent possible.
Blended/Hybrid Learning - Students receive instruction through a combination of on-campus, in-person lessons and online Distance Learning each week.
Distance Learning Only - Students receive instruction via online Distance Learning only.

Once we receive your feedback through the 2020-21 Family Survey, more information about each academic model will be provided. We are firmly committed to engaging in an inclusive process and considering the diverse needs and input of our community before finalizing any planning.

Tentative Timeline

In an effort to allow parents to plan and prepare for the upcoming school year, including our year round families, the following tentative timeline is provided:

Initial 2020-21 Family and Staff Surveys – June 15-17
Review of Family and Staff Survey feedback – June 18-23
Progress Report to Board of Education – June 23
Task Force Design of Proposed Options – June 24-25
Final Family and Staff Surveys (Proposed Options) – June 26-29
Final Recommendation to Board of Education – Early July
Communication update to families – Early July

Flexible Plans

Our year round schools resume on July 15 and our traditional schools on August 20. As you know, much can change during this time and we are hopeful that any new developments will only improve our opportunities to return to as normal of a school environment as possible. Our plans include considerations for each of California’s reopening phases and can be scaled to meet those phases as needed. IUSD will continue to work collaboratively with state and local expert agencies and officials to closely monitor this fluid situation. Please know that the safety of our students, staff and families is our top priority and all decisions will be made through this lens in accordance with health guidelines.

Thank you for your partnership, engagement and support. We look forward to receiving your immediate feedback on the survey so that we can continue the timely and vital work of preparing for the 2020-21 school year.

Sincerely,