ERUSD Learning Recovery Plan

To effectively facilitate learning recovery, teachers and administrators will utilize reliable data to make informed instructional decisions.   As part of the return to in-person instruction, all students are being assessed using both academic and mental health screeners. This data is being analyzed at each school site to guide instruction and identify students in need of additional mental health support. In addition, students grades Kindergarten through twelfth grade will participate in interim assessments in both English Language Arts and mathematics that will be used to monitor and assess student learning. These assessments will provide valuable data in addressing student learning loss.

To support these data driven instructional efforts, beginning in October 2021, all administration is participating in 3 days of training for the implementation of the Educlimber data platform. Educlimber will consolidate data from a variety of sources and enable staff to make decisions based upon the whole child. Data sources will include multiple points including but not limited to; attendance, academic performance, behavior incidents, social emotional indicators and interventions. Using a “train the trainer” model all district staff will be trained and given access to the platform and integrated data. This data will be used to refine practices and processes as well as modify instruction to meet the specific needs of identified students.

First and foremost, the plan for learning recovery entails the provision of “best first instruction” for all students.  To support teachers with delivering quality instruction for all students, the ERUSD LCAP committed significant resources to provide professional development, teacher planning and articulation, and enhanced opportunities for small group instruction.  The LCAP also funds Teachers on Special Assignment to serve as content experts across the grade span and support teachers with “best first instruction.”

In addition to the LCAP, ERUSD has enacted strategies to support best first instruction, and thus learning recovery, through the Expanded Learning Opportunity Plan and the ESSER III Expenditure Plan.  ERUSD convened a Summer Professional Development Academy, during which teachers were able to collaborate with other grade-level or content-area teachers to identify and address student learning gaps. This practice allowed teachers the opportunity to build activities and design lessons that target students' learning loss. In addition, we expanded our summer school offerings and brought back students before the district-wide opening of schools.

The ERUSD LCAP invests considerable resources to provide a range of support for students who are experiencing learning difficulties.  The plan commits resources to provide Instructional aides, long term substitutes, and college tutors in classrooms across the district.  These additional Paraeducators will support instruction by scaffolding for students, answering questions, and providing timely feedback on assignments.

To support students who need academic support after normal school hours, a significant investment has been made in tutoring support. ERUSD will offer in-person, after-school tutoring offered by teachers, 24/7 online tutoring and a supplementary intervention program.  This range of tutoring options and and intervention supports is being offered to meet the unique learning of students as expressed by ERUSD families.

ERUSD will also address students who are in need of credit recovery through summer school, online after school/Saturday credit recovery and after school, in-person course make up. We have increased the number of APEX credit recovery licenses and allocated funds to provide for a-g approved, graduation requirement courses that are taught after school by a certificated ERUSD teacher. The addition of two academic counselors who are focused on credit recovery and supporting and identifying students who are experiencing credit deficiency. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges to students, educators, and parents. Students are coping with mental health conditions and have been especially vulnerable, and we are aware about the broad impacts on students as a result of schools being closed, physically distancing guidelines and isolation, and other unexpected changes to their lives. Aware of the need of students, the LCAP identified the need to promote student engagement & well-being by identifying the need to provide mental health counselors, as well as increase access to Academic Counselors.

Therefore, ERUSD has made a substantial investment in promoting student engagement and nurturing overall student well-being through funding additional mental health and academic counselors. There will be one mental health counselor for each school site to support students and academic counselors to support students at the high school level. These services will provide additional support to our students as they transition back to in-person learning.

As part of this Learning Recovery Plan, El Rancho is also investing in providing an optimal context for learning.  To ensure a safe, welcoming environment for students, ERUSD will fund maintenance and operations initiatives to maintain school facilities and grounds at a consistently high level. A significant area of consideration has been meeting the health requirements of our learning spaces to enable students and staff to return safely for in-person instruction. Air scrubbers, ventilation upgrades and furniture adaptations were provided to maximize distancing and allow for the safe interaction of students during the school day. Outdoor spaces were created and provide sheltered safe areas for students. Additional considerations continue to be implemented as the current situation and guidance regarding COVID-19 evolves.

In sum, ERUSD staff utilized the LCAP, ELO and ESSER plan development process to proactively craft a plan to support a successful return to in-person instruction while effectively addressing the inevitable learning loss that occurred due to the pandemic.  Within this process, input from stakeholders and community members provided timely feedback, and established a climate of trust and shared decision making.  This foundation continues to benefit the students of El Rancho as we move forward in our actions. As we look to the future, ERUSD is committed to diligently implementing and monitoring each of these learning recovery plan components over the course of the next three years to make certain that these efforts result in learning recovery for all students.