As Los Angeles Unified School District gears up for the 2020-2021 academic year, the nation’s second largest school district has promised some changes to both parents and teachers.
In addition to implementing a shorter than normal school day, beginning at 9 am and ending at 2:15 pm, the district has also stated that teachers are expected to work an average of six hours per day and will be required to take online attendance.
As for students, there is are state-imposed minimum daily instructional minutes that vary by age range.
No more than 45 minutes of screen time would be allowed for preschool students
180 minutes for kindergarten
230 minutes for grades 1-3
240 minutes for grades 4 through 12
According to the Director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington, though, the Los Angeles School plan provides “very little time for kids to feel connected and engaged in school,” compared to other districts her center has looked examined. She stated that “the day itself is short than most districts we’ve looked at.”
Other elements of the agreement include:
A 30-hour minimum week, with time set aside for the social and emotional needs of students and families
Teachers will exercise discretion over how much time they spend teaching live online classes versus providing recorded sessions and supervising students working independently
Established work expectations for non-teaching union members such as counselors, nurses and librarians
District has agreed to suspend annual performance evaluations of tenured teachers for the upcoming academic year
Check back for updates on this agreement as information becomes available