Dear IUSD Families,
Thank you for your participation in IUSD’s family survey and for your feedback regarding your preferred academic model for the 2020-21 school year. IUSD received 16,423 responses with preferences captured below:
- 41% prefer Traditional Learning – Students receive instruction on-campus, in-person 5 days a week to the greatest extent possible.
- 37 % prefer Blended/Hybrid Learning – Students receive instruction through a combination of on-campus, in-person lessons and online Distance Learning each week.
- 22% prefer Distance Learning Only – Students receive instruction via online Distance Learning only.
Task Force Update
IUSD’s 2020-21 Task Force is currently reviewing your feedback as they consider the design of each academic model. On Thursday June 25th, you will receive a communication that will include a more detailed description of each model along with a second survey. This second survey will be designed so that our families can carefully evaluate these more detailed options and again communicate their preferences.
Please note that IUSD will provide in-person AND online only options for students. It is our intention to offer options that align with family preferences to the extent possible, while adhering to California Department of Public Health and Orange County Department of Education guidelines. Continuing to collaborate with our community and staff will be critical as we endeavor to maximize our resources and meet the compelling needs of our students on very compressed timelines.
Rapidly Evolving Information and Flexible Planning
Throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic, information and situations have evolved rapidly. IUSD’s process has been to work collaboratively with state and local expert agencies and officials to monitor this fluid situation, while prioritizing the safety of students, staff and our community. All decisions will continue to be made through this lens and in accordance with health guidelines as they are issued and updated.
The Orange County Department of Education recently released their guidelines titled Orange County Together: A Guide for Safely Reopening Schools in the COVID-19 Era, which reinforce the recently released California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines. However, since both agencies released their guidelines last week, CDPH language regarding masks in schools continues to evolve. Once we have information that is more definitive and understand what this means for school districts throughout California, we will keep our families informed.
This is one of many examples of how, in the era of COVID-19, information and guidelines can change requiring IUSD and our families to pivot. As we have shared, our plans will remain flexible to allow IUSD to adapt to state and local guidelines, while maintaining equity and academic excellence for our more than 36,000 students.
Next Steps and Timeline Reminder
During the Board of Education Meeting tomorrow, June 23 at 6:30 p.m., staff will provide an overview and update to the Board. Please note that no action will be taken by the Board during the meeting. This is an informational presentation. To watch the meeting, which will be streamed live, click here or tune into Cox Channel 39. Survey feedback, including more than 6,000 comments, from our community have been provided to both the Board and the Task Force.
Below is a reminder of our timeline for planning and communications. Again, our next communication to you will be on Thursday, June 25. You will receive any new updates related to CDPH guidelines and a second survey with more detail for each academic model.
- 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 25-29
- Final Recommendation to Board of Education – Early July
- Communication update to families – Early July
Thank you for your continued partnership during this ever changing and fluid situation.
Sincerely,
Terry L. Walker
Superintendent of Schools
Irvine Unified School District
