COVID-19: Union Toolkit for California Educators and Staff
Your health, your rights, and state education updates by division
Find sections in our union toolkit with resources for preK-12 schools, community colleges, UC, retirement systems, and state labor agencies. We also include links to public health agencies.
YOUR HEALTH
Find the best resources from state and federal public health organizations here. The AFT has prepared a broad range of bulletins helpful to educators, staff and their families during the coronavirus pandemic. Use these union resources to stay safe and healthy during the pandemic — and share them with others.
AFT Bulletins & Guidance
These AFT bulletins offer practical solid advice about coping with the pandemic, physically and mentally, and keeping you and your family safe.
- Cloth face coverings: Do’s and Don’ts
- COVID-19: The Basics
- Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families
- Taking Care of Yourself in Difficult Times
- Helpful Information and Tips for Dealing with COVID-19
- How to Support Healthcare Workers on the Frontlines of COVID-19 Outbreak
- Stress Relief for Healthcare Workers
California Coronavirus Website
California
Coronavirus Website
The state’s public-friendly website dedicated to the coronavirus
consolidates much information in one spot and offers countless
practical resources. You will find information about how to
stay healthy, links to worker relief programs such as
unemployment and disability, and even a social media messaging
toolkit. Website in Spanish also.
California Department of Public Health
California Department of Public Health
Guidance on how to protect yourselves from COVID-19, as well
as personal health information regarding symptoms of COVID-19 and
what to do if you have symptoms. You can get daily updates and
follow the spread of coronavirus in
California by region and racial
demographic. Website in Spanish also.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
In this rapidly evolving situation, the CDC is
providing updated information and guidance as it becomes
available. Find highly accessible information about about
symptoms and care, limiting your exposure, use of face
masks, and advice for daily living and coping. There is also
extensive info for older adults who may be at higher
risk for severe illness. Plus travel information and overall
tracking of the outbreak nationwide.
HELPFUL LINKS
-
Cleaning and Disinfection for Households
Everyday steps to take and extra steps when someone is sick -
Cloth Face Covers
Excellent visual and video tutorials for making your own mask -
Running Errands Safely
From grocery shopping to banking -
Guidance for Schools and Child Care Programs
Checklist for teachers and parents, FAQ, cleaning and disinfection guidelines -
Guidance for Institutes of Higher Education
Detailed guidance including cleaning and disinfection
PRINTABLES
- Symptoms of COVID-2019
- What to do if you are sick with COVID-19
- What you need to know about the novel coronavirus - English
- What you need to know about the novel coronavirus - Spanish
World Health Organization
World Health
Organization
The WHO is tracking the coronavirus outbreak worldwide. WHO is
working 24/7 to analyze data, provide advice, coordinate with
partners, help countries prepare, increase supplies and manage
expert networks. Find data by country, travel advisories, and a
helpful Q&A.
YOUR RIGHTS
Learn your legal rights during the pandemic in these bulletins the AFT has prepared for educators and staff. This section also summarizes the government benefits available to workers, from unemployment insurance to workers’ compensation, and will refer you to more information on our website and others.
AFT Bulletins & Guidance
The AFT has compiled helpful information for educators and support staff that outline your rights at work regarding the coronavirus pandemic.
- FAQ Regarding Workers’ Rights During COVID-19 Crisis
- Essential Personnel FAQ for Individual Employees
- Guidance for AFT Members: What are my Rights during a State of Emergency?
- Legal Guidance for Union Members: Your Rights during a Public Health Emergency
California Labor & Workforce Development Agency
- This helpful table compares benefits available for California workers.
California Employment Development Department
The EDD provides concise updates about sickness, quarantine, caregiving, potential closure or reduced work hours and the type of assistance you can receive. Find claim links for the situations outlined below.
- If you’re unable to work due to having or being exposed to COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional), you can file a State Disability Insurance claim.
- If your employer has reduced your hours or shut down operations due to COVID-19, you can file an Unemployment Insurance claim.
- If you’re unable to work because you are caring for an ill or quarantined family member with COVID-19, you can file a Paid Family Leave claim.
Cal/OSHA
Guidance on Requirements to Protect
Workers
Workplace safety and health regulations in California require
employers to protect workers exposed to airborne infectious
diseases such as the coronavirus.
SCHOOLS
Find summaries of the major actions from the California and U.S. Departments of Education with links to primary sources, as well as additional AFT guidance for preK-12 schools.
AFT Guidance
In addition to the numerous bulletins under the tabs Your Health and Your Rights, the AFT has compiled this document for preK-12 schools.
California Department of Education
-
CDE response
to COVID-19
The CDE website contains major directives, guidance memos and comprehensive resources related to schools and the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the suspension of statewide testing; state funding for schools while closed; obtaining internet access for all students; and a framework for Labor-Management Collaboration when dealing with COVID-19. There are also webinars for educators, schools, and districts to help deal with ramifications of the pandemic.
Centers for Disease Control Guidance
Guidance for Schools and Child Care
Programs
Checklist for teachers and parents, helpful FAQ, plus cleaning
and disinfection guidelines.
Rolling Updates
Below you will find summaries of the governor’s executive orders, guidance from the California Dept. of Education and the U.S. Dept. of Education, along with links to the primary source information.
MAY 20
Education Coalition says schools need more, not
less, funding to reopen safely
California’s schools will not have enough money to safely reopen
their doors to students under the governor’s proposed budget, the
Education Coalition said on Wednesday. In an open letter to
state policymakers, the group asked for resources to add
staff and create a safe learning environment with smaller class
sizes in line with social distancing guidelines, school
disinfection and other needs “to open schools safely and on
time.”
The Education Coalition comprises nine statewide K-12 education associations and unions, including the CFT, and provides consensus positions to protect the integrity of Proposition 98 and funding in the budget for K-12 public education.
- Read the Education Coalition statement here
- Read our Newsroom story: Uncertainty surrounds education budget for coming year
- Find CFT state budget briefs here
APRIL 28
California Teacher Credentialing Commission: COVID-19
Flexibility Provisions for Educator Preparation
Programs
The commission took several actions at its April 23-24 meeting to
provide flexibility more possible for educator preparation
programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. These provisions are
organized by program type in the comprehensive CTC memo below.
APRIL 23
Governor rolls back LCAP deadline for K-12
schools
Governor Newsom issued an
executive order that extends the deadlines for districts
and charter schools to submit Local Control and
Accountability Plans (LCAP), which are multi-year planning
documents tied to budget projections. By law, LCAPs
must be developed in collaboration with parents, students,
teachers, and community groups to detail how districts will
use state resources to improve student learning and narrow
achievement gaps.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic, school leaders are appropriately focused on managing the immediate needs of their students and families.
Instead of submitting a three-year LCAP on July 1, districts will submit an update of COVID-19 related impacts on students and plans to address those impacts. They will be required to explain steps they have taken to deliver high-quality distance learning opportunities, provide school meals in non-congregate settings, and arrange for supervision of students during ordinary school hours. They will also be required to explain the steps they have taken to meet the needs low-income students, English learners, and foster youth. The report will help provide transparency and accountability to communities as intended in the LCAP.
In the fall, districts and charter schools will work with stakeholders on abbreviated one-year LCAPs, with a deadline of December 15 for submission. The deadline for approval by a county superintendent or State Superintendent Thurmond is January 14, 2021.
The governor’s executive order also waives required physical education minutes and annual physical fitness testing that requires on-site instruction. Academic assessments were previously waived under a separate order
- Direct link to Executive Order N-56-20
- California Department of Education press release
- Read this report from EdSource
APRIL 14
Governor talks about how schools might function when they
reopen
Gov. Newsom describes changes like staggered classes and no
assemblies. Ed Source sums up the governor’s daily press
conference where he discussed when schools might reopen and
the changes we might see.
APRIL 13
AFT’s state-by-state CARES Act
apportionments
California will receive $15.321 billion from the federal stimulus
CARES Act. Of that, $5.8 billion will be allocated to local
governments in California with populations over 500,000. The
CARES Act also includes an Education Stabilization Fund totaling
$31 billion. See how that breaks out for California
education below.
APRIL 8
State superintendent
releases guidance on childcare for essential
workers
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond
announced that the CDE and the California Department of
Social Services have issued new guidance that will
facilitate child care for children of essential critical
infrastructure workers, children at risk of abuse or neglect, and
children with disabilities or special health care needs. The
guidance was a requirement of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive
Order N-45-20, issued on April 4.
The new guidance addresses how the essential worker prioritization will roll out, as well as how child care programs and providers can safely provide care. Specifically, the CDSS and the CDE will share data and information to identify students who may be eligible for the pandemic SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefit, to reduce food insecurity and ensure children receive nutritious meals at low or no cost.
- CDE guidance about child care and flexibility with the SNAP benefit
- CDSS guidance about healthy and safe practices in child care settings
APRIL 1
Labor-Management Collaboration
Labor organizations including the CFT, CTA, CSEA, SEIU, AFSCME,
and the California Labor Federation met with school
management organizations and the California Department of
Education to provide an endorsed understanding of how locals and
employers should collaborate in meeting the demands of the
governor’s executive orders.
This framework should assist local unions and their employers come to agreements on how to move forward in cleaning school sites, providing distance learning options, pop-up child care and continued pay for all members in the K-12 school system — all stipulated in the governor’s executive order. The framework is a basic understanding of the cooperation needed between everyone at a school district to rise up to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 outbreak, including how to work during the physical closure of school sites and how to comply with current CDE guidelines and state law.
APRIL 1
More Key Guidance Memos
The California Department of Education releases guidance on
essential topics.
-
Special
Education Guidance
The latest on special education from the CDE -
Grading
and Graduation Guidelines
FAQ prepared by CDE includes information about grading distance learning assignments, alternative grading systems, dual enrollment, and student grades as related to the changed college admission policies. -
College
Admissions, Grading and Graduation
Requirements
To help high school and community college students overcome university admissions and placement challenges due to suspension of in-person instruction. Includes Joint Statement on K-12 and Higher Education Letter.
APRIL 1
Governor confirms that schools will be closed through the end of
the year
In his daily press conference, Governor Newsom focuses on K-12
education. He references Superintendent Thurmond’s memo to
superintendents saying schools will likely not reopen this
academic year, but that the goal is to increase the education
occurring at home. Gov. Newsom has worked with labor to get
comprehensive protocols to advance distance learning. In order to
do that, the state needed private sector support.
Google stepped up in a partnership that will provide “100,000 points of access” to provide wifi and high-quality access to broadband internet for the next three months to address the digital divide. In addition, Google will be providing thousands of Chromebooks. And the governor thanks moms for the extraordinary work they are doing at home now, and offers his deep respect and admiration for the work of mothers.
Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, joined the press conference to say schools are continuing to provide education, but from home, where it is safe. Out of an abundance of caution, he has urged superintendents to educate our kids at home only through the end of this school year. “We urge these efforts to be accelerated by providing wifi and more training for our teachers,” Thurmond said. “Our campuses are closed to kids, but school is not out for year.”
- Special Education: The CDE is offering webinar tomorrow for how to deliver special education from a distance. Sign up here from CFT’s Webinars & Zooms page.
Linda Darling-Hammond, the president of the State Board of Education, said almost every district is launching a distance learning program, with increased wifi connectivity and hot spots to allowing distance learning where needed. She said today the CDE will post guidance on graduation requirements and grading and that some districts are planning hold commencement ceremonies in the fall. The CDE will also issue a joint statement today about college admissions. The colleges have agreed to accept Pass/No Pass grading and have extended flexibility for payment, financial aid and more. Students will not have to take the SATs for admission.
- Food distribution: The state received a waiver from the federal government that will allow more Grab-n-Go meals to reach students. Hammond said the CDE is making sure as many students are being fed as possible. About 5,200 sites across the state are offering students Grab ‘N Go meals.
- Child care: A number of districts are setting up child care centers for kids of essential workers. Districts are organizing where they can to partner with other community organizations to provide this care.
MARCH 31
Thurmond issues memo to local superintendents saying schools
likely to close for remainder of the year
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond sent a
letter to superintendents throughout the state and the media
stating that it “appears that our students will not be able to
return to school campuses before the end of the school
year.” This is not a state Executive Order, but it is
an expectation that all the schools will shut down.
MARCH 20
U.S. Department of Education grants waiver for
testing
The White House and U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announce
they will grant a waiver to any state that wants one
for the federal requirement to administer standardized tests this
spring (that will include California). The White House
also announced a freeze on student loan payments
for 60 days.
MARCH 18
Governor issues executive order to suspend standardized
testing
In response to COVID-19 outbreak, Gov. Newsom issued an
executive order today to waive, pending federal approval, this
year’s statewide testing for California’s more than 6 million
students in K-12 schools.
MARCH 17
Guidance for K-12
Schools from CDE
This major guidance missive from the
California Dept. of Education covers resources for distance
learning, resources for distance learning, availability of school
meals, child care and student supervision. Key points in this
guidance are summarized below. The information at this links
is constantly being updated.
- Guidance for Distance Learning: The CDE guidance materials contain helpful resources including lessons from the field and suggestions for creating high-quality online curricula.
- Appendix 1 from the CDE guidance has a wide variety of resources that support distance learning from a number of subject areas.
- Appendix 2 has lessons from the field, including pedagogy and best practices for transitioning to online learning, and it addresses accessibility, content, tools and resources, infrastructure, and devices.
- Appendix 3 offers some useful recommendations for designing high-quality online courses.
- Guidance for Students With Disabilities: This Q&A offers guidance for continuing to support students with disabilities. The document begins to address the responsibilities of the LEAs during periods of school closure and how to adapt IEPs to online or distance learning, if possible.
- School Nutrition Guidance: This framework for how school nutrition should be operationalized for non-congregate meals at school sites during COVID-19 school closures. Obviously this is a fluid situation and we will need to work together to continue to keep students fed. Superintendent Thurmond also announced that the CA Meals for Kids” mobile app has been updated to help students and their families find meals during school closures related to COVID-19.
- Child Care Guidance: In a time of school closures, schools are required, as much as possible, to arrange for the supervision of students during regular school hours, and the California Health & Human Services has provided guidance for childcare and student supervision in the event of a school closure. The HHS document includes recommendations for families, for LEAs, and for subsidized childcare providers.
MARCH 16
CFT Legislative Update – Emergency Legislation
Passed
Senate Bill 117 is a budget bill for K-12 schools
that took effect immediately upon the governor’s signature on
March 17. SB 117 does the following things:
- Provides $100 million to school districts for the purchase of personal protective equipment, and/or pay for supplies and labor related to cleaning school sites.
- Provides full ADA for schools even if they are closed due to coronavirus to ensure that employees and contractors are compensated and paid during the time that a school is closed due to the coronavirus.
- Waives the required instructional days and minutes.
- Provides a 45-day extension for schools to administer ELL assessments.
- Extends the testing window for the CAASPP (and the physical performance test) by the length of time a school is closed or until the end of the testing window.
- Extends the timeline by which schools have to develop an assessment plan to determine if a student has exceptional needs from 15 days after the referral to an additional number of days that the school is closed up until the school reopens and the regular school session reconvenes.
- Provides full ADA for after-school programs that are closed due to the coronavirus.
- Waives attendance and reporting requirements for state-subsidized childcare and development programs to ensure the continuity of payments.
MARCH 13
Governor signs executive order ensuring state funding for
schools in event of closure
The order intends to assure parents and education employees that
the state will provide support in the event of school closures.
It calls on the Legislature to immediately address key
issues and for specific state agencies to develop and provide
guidance. The following provisions were included in the
governor’s executive order.
- If a Local Educational Agency closes its schools to address COVID-19, the state will continue to receive state funding to support the following during the period of closure:
- Continue delivering high-quality educational opportunities to students to the extent feasible through, among other options, distance learning and/or independent study;
- Provide school meals in non-congregate settings through the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option;
- Arrange for, to the extent practicable, supervision for students during ordinary school hours; and
- Continue to pay its employees
- If an LEA closes its schools to address COVID-19, the LEA is not prohibited from offering distance learning or independent study to impacted students.
- For LEAs that initiate a school closure to address COVID-19, the closure shall qualify as a condition that prevents the maintenance of the LEA’s schools during a fiscal year for at least 175 days. (This provision eliminates the days and minutes requirement.)
- The California Department of Education and the Health and Human Services shall jointly develop and issue guidance by March 17. The guidance shall include, but not be limited to, the following topics:
- Implementing distance learning strategies and addressing equity and access issues that may arise due to differential access to internet connectivity and technology;
- Ensuring students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education consistent with their individualized education program and meeting other requirements under IDEA; and
- Providing meals to be served in non-congregate settings at school and non-school sites in a manner that protects the safety of both students and school personnel, including classified employees.
- The Labor and Workforce Development Agency and the Health and Human Services shall jointly develop and issue guidance by March 17 covering how to support parents to care for their children during ordinary school hours in the event of a school closure.
- The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development shall work with the California business community to encourage employers to exercise flexibility in the event of a school closure to enable parents to care for their children during ordinary school hours.
MARCH 7
California Department of Public Health — Guidance for PreK-12 Schools
This bulletin is prepared by the California Department of Public
Health in consultation with the California Department of
Education. This document is intended to be statewide
guidance to help both school and public health officials inform
their decisionmaking.
SUPPORT STAFF
Find pandemic-related information for support staff from the AFT and the CDC, including significant information about cleaning and disinfecting. For additional information from the state education systems, look under the tabs Schools and Community Colleges.
AFT Guidance
In addition to the numerous bulletins under the tabs Your Health and Your Rights, the AFT has compiled these guidance documents for support staff, classified employees and paraprofessionals.
- Best Practices for Support Staff Performing Essential Services
- Paraprofessionals Making the Difference
- Cleaning Tips for Custodians and Others
- For School Bus Personnel: Best Cleaning and Disinfecting Practices for Buses
- Child Care Centers and You: COVID-19 Infection Prevention – Best Practices
- Plus EPA- Registered Antimicrobial Products
Centers for Disease Control Guidance
-
Guidance for Schools and Child Care
Programs
Resources for teachers, staff, and parents plus cleaning and disinfection guidelines -
Guidance for Institutes of Higher Education
Considerations for faculty, staff, and students at colleges and universities plus cleaning and disinfection guidelines.
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Find pandemic-related resources and information from the AFT, the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, plus the CDC and the California Dept. of Public Health.
AFT Guidance
In addition to the numerous bulletins under the tabs Your Health and Your Rights, the AFT has prepared this document for higher education.
Chancellor’s Office
-
Chancellor’s Office response to
COVID-19
Resources for faculty, staff and students including the chancellor’s guidance memos, and significant resources for teaching online. Includes an email sign-up for COVID-19 updates.
California Department of Public Health Bulletin
-
Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education
This bulletin is prepared by the California Department of Public Health for institutions of higher education. This document is intended to be statewide guidance to help both college and public health officials inform their decision making.
Centers for Disease Control Guidance
-
Guidance for Institutes of Higher Education
Includes considerations for institutions of higher education, information about COVID testing, and even guidance including cleaning and disinfection.
Rolling Updates
APRIL 29
Chancellor’s Office – Weekly Summary
Chancellor Oakley thanked everyone who participated in last
week’s Community College Advocacy Day, which was attended by over
2,000 people. Also April was “Community College Month,” and
Oakley thanked everyone in the system for the great work they are
doing.
The chancellor reminded attendees that life as we know it will be different, and while social distancing continues, the colleges will continue to improve the online education platform. At the same time, the Chancellor’s Office has developed a task force to ensure safe return to campuses. It will examine and suggest policies on social distancing to protect students and staff regarding cleanliness and expand efforts to adapt to student-faculty-staff needs. Daily Covid-19 updates from the communications unit will continue .
- The “Stay Enrolled Campaign” has 8 million digital and social media impressions. Student news organizations will hold another teleconference with Chancellor Oakley during the second week of May. The Chancellor’s office has secured funding to provide captioning requirements and services for disabled students.
- Regarding the CARES Act, on April 9, the U.S. Secretary of Education announced $6 billion of the $13.95 billion total would be distributed immediately to provide direct emergency cash grants to students. Colleges must have completed the Certificate of Agreement to obtain funds. California is expected to receive $354.5 million in CARES Act funding for K-12 and higher education. The unfortunate and disappointing news: Many disadvantaged student populations were left out, such as undocumented students, or undercounted, including part-time and CTE students.
Executive Orders issued in the past week
- Executive Order 2020-04 Interim Appointments responds to concerns from districts related to economic uncertainties, planning challenges, and logistical issues.
- Executive Order 2020-05 and Guidance Memo FS20-05: Temporary Suspension of Regulations Related to the Deferral of Faculty Obligation Number Penalties During the COVID-19 Declared State of Emergency
- Memo on Attendance Accounting outlines weekly or daily census course and positive attendance course.
Works in Progress: Dual Enrollment/Middle College, Work Study for Credit Students, Financial Aid, 67% Part-Time, etc.
APRIL 15
Chancellor’s Office – Weekly Summary
Chancellor Oakley began the weekly webinar by thanking all
community college employees and students. “The work that we do is
incredibly important,” he said. ”We educate the first
responders that are currently saving lives.”
Oakley requested participation in next week’s Board of Governors Virtual Advocacy Day (April 22 from 9 am to 10:30 am). Virtual Advocacy Day is a tele-townhall and takes the place of the chancellor’s weekly webinar.
The chancellor announced the launch of Spanish marketing outreach for the new student campaign, “Stay Enrolled, Succeed Online.” And he called out his op-ed in the San Diego Union Tribune: Don’t let California’s Community College system be devastated by the coronavirus recession.
Update on Board of Registered Nursing clinical hours
- Waivers on 75% nursing clinical hours in patient care
- New clinical setting must be approved by a Nurse Education Consultant
- Written agreements for clinical sites no longer required
- Mental health/psychiatric nursing, obstetrics, and pediatrics 75% direction patient care clinical hours reduced to 50%.
CalWORKs Program: Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20
- Suspends all state law requiring redetermination of CalWORKs recipients for 90 days
- Suspends any month or partial month from counting against the 48-month time limit
- Federal time limits remain in effect and may impact student eligibility
- SB 117 ensures the continuity of payments for subsidized childcare programs during the COVID-19 emergency
- Child Development Centers may claim CalWORKs childcare reimbursements for up to 30 days
- Providers serving families utilizing CalWORKs states One, Two, or Three must be reimbursed using the most recent monthly invoice, or attendance record, or total certified authorizations both part-time and full-time.
CARES Act Update – The federal stimulus
Institutional awards are calculated using 75% of full-time enrollment of Pell recipients at an institution and 25% of institutional award is calculated using full-time enrollment of non-Pell recipients. (Students who were exclusively online prior to the pandemic are not included in this calculation.)
- Total funds for California Community Colleges: $579,679,078
- Funds for Emergency Assistance to Students: $289,839,564
- Funds for Assistance to Colleges: $289,839,514
- Distribution of first half allocation of $6 billion CARES Act dollars is designed for emergency assistance to students.
- Funds will go directly to institutions through the Title IV distribution system.
- Provides institutions with significant discretion on how to award this emergency assistance to students.
- Colleges must complete a Certificate of Agreement and submit it to U.S. Department of Education.
For more information, visit the Chancellor’s Office website.
Webinars will be recorded and posted online here.
APRIL 13
AFT
prepares state-by-state CARES Act
apportionments
California will receive $15.321 billion from the federal stimulus
CARES Act. Of that, $5.8 billion will be allocated to local
governments in California with populations over 500,000. The
CARES Act also includes an Education Stabilization Fund totaling
$31 billion. See how that breaks out for California
education below.
APRIL 8
Chancellor’s Office – Weekly Summary
Chancellor Oakley began the weekly webinar by thanking his staff
for finally reaching an agreement with the Board of Registered
Nursing on clinical hours waiver and flexibility. This
flexibility is only effective during the current crisis. He also
thanked faculty for the great job they are all doing
transitioning their courses to online, and said the key word
moving forward will be “resiliency.” This crisis has exposed a
lot of challenges, he said, but we will overcome because we are
resilient.
The Chancellor’s Office announced a new guidance memo and two new campaigns:
-
EOPS Guidance: Grants & Emergency Loans. Executive Order 2020-03 suspends title 5, section 56254.
- The student campaign “Stay Enrolled, Succeed Online” will use paid social media, digital advertising and radio. Student news organizations will hold a teleconference “Meet the Student Press” with Chancellor Oakley on Tuesday, April 14 at 2 pm. Please help spread the word among journalism faculty and student journalists.
- The “Relief and Recovery Campaign” will raise resources to address immediate and long-term effects: emergency aid, technology/connectivity, remote learning, and critical workforce innovations for a rapidly changing economy. The campaign will also engage donors, philanthropy, and corporate partners.
On other topics, the chancellor:
- is asking districts and individuals to focus on cybersecurity as phishing and spoofing attempts continue to escalate;
- highlighted San Diego Community College District for successfully launching online counseling office hours;
- is asking organizations to sign on to a joint letter seeking continued financial support from the state in regards to the upcoming “workload budget”;
- proudly reported that emergency direct aid grants for students were fully subscribed;
- is asking people to subscribe to the Chancellor’s Office daily COVID-19 Special Updates by emailing Communications@CCCCO.edu or signing up on the website.
- Join next Wednesday’s webinar at 9 am here.
APRIL 1
Key Guidance Memos Between K-12 Schools and Higher
Ed
The California Department of Education issues joint statement
letters with CA higher education systems to help high school
and community college students to overcome university
admissions and placement challenges due to suspension of
in-person instruction.
-
College Admissions, Grading and Graduation Requirements page from the CA Dept. of Education includes:
APRIL 1
Chancellor’s Office – Weekly Summary
Chancellor Oakley covered a range of topics. First, he asked all
colleges to apply flexibility and equity when it comes to the new
grading policy, and said the new Pass/No Pass grading policy is
intended to allow students to continue their education. The
chancellor is urging everyone to spread the word about on
completing the U.S. Census. Participating in the census is
one of the ways we can ensure that the community colleges get
their fair share. The College Futures Foundation has established
a $5 million fund to provide $500 in direct assistance to
community college, CSU, and UC students (some terms apply). The
Academic Senate is organizing professional development and
training webinars for faculty, including a segment on how to run
an effective “Academic Senate Meetings on your Campus.”
- The Chancellor’s Office continues to work on the issues below:
- Temporary distance education blanket addendum
- Impact of FON penalties on districts
- 67 percent rule for part-time faculty
- Implementing flexibility with the Board of Registered Nursing
- Reporting deadlines and extensions on grants and programs
- Dual enrollment/middle college
- Work Study for credit students
- Grades relevant to financial aid and attendance accounting
MARCH 30
Chancellor issues new guidance memo for distance
learning
New guidance memo outlines technology resources available to
educators
This new guidance memo provides information for colleges to
understand the technology resources and applications available
through the Chancellor’s Office partnership with the Foundation
for California Community Colleges and California Virtual
Campus-Online Education Initiative (CVC-OEI)
MARCH 27
Chancellor issues Executive Order about grading policies, pass/no
pass requirement
The chancellor has issued a new Executive Order (2020-02)
and accompanying guidance memo about course grading. It suspends
title 5, section 55022, requirement that students select the
“pass or no pass” grading option prior to the 30 percent mark of
the term.
- Executive Order: Temporary Suspension of Various Specified Grade-Related Regulations to Address the Continuity of Education in Community Colleges
- Guidance Memo: Grading Policies and Term Extension Guidance Due to Covid-19 Pandemic
MARCH 25
Chancellor’s Office – Weekly Summary
Chancellor Oakley opened by reassuring colleges that student fee
refunds will be available. For example, students who drop
courses can seek a full refund and colleges can also request full
refunds for dropped students. As of March 25, the Chancellor’s
Office is:
- looking into asking Congress to consider temporary relief due to the emergency;
- reviewing Title 4 statutory and regulatory provisions, and working on CalWORKS issues;
- working with the Board of Registered Nursing to address the graduation requirements for “Clinical Hours in Direct Patient Care.”
For faculty, the Chancellor’s Office is addressing issues regarding “hard-to-convert” courses, and reviewing courses that are difficult to transition into an online format. It is also reviewing the overall viability of course completion, and its decision to cancel or keep those courses will be based on Vision for Success and the immediate impact on local communities.
- Resources for remote instruction are available at this link. Find support for “Live Help & Webinars” “Videos” “Self-Paced Courses” and “Guides.”
-
New webinar number and url: There is a new
website url for the Wednesday morning (9 am) webinars with
the Chancellor’s Office.
http://cccconfer.zoom.us/j299858221
MARCH 23
Chancellor’s Office issues more significant COVID-19 guidance memos
- Preliminary Guidance for Hard-to-Convert Courses
- Guidance – BRN Requirements for Nursing Clinical Hours
- Guidance - Clarification on Apportionments, Withdrawals and Student Fee Refunds
- Temporary Suspension of Student Withdrawal Regulations to Address the Continuity of Education in Community Colleges During the C
MARCH 23
Chancellor signs executive orders — providing for online
teaching, student protections
Chancellor Oakley announced a series of actions, including
through executive order, to help ensure that teaching and
learning continues at all 115 community colleges and that
students are not penalized academically or financially due to the
COVID-19 crisis. In specific, the chancellor:
- has provided the ability for all colleges to convert in-person classes to online;
- signed an executive order that suspends state and local regulations to ensure students are not penalized academically and will more easily be able to receive refunds for enrollment fees;
- launched a new online Q&A for students.
Chancellor’s office to hold Zoom calls every Wednesday at
9 am
Moving forward, the chancellor will host weekly webinars
every Wednesday from 9-10 a.m. Capacity has been expanded
and you are encouraged to join the webinars. The webinars
will be recorded and available following the event.
MARCH 20
Recording of Chancellor’s Office first
webinar
In this first call, the Chancellor’s Office assured
stakeholders that FTES funding will continue to be protected
under Title 5, section 58146, and that colleges will not lose
funding this year due to the COVID-19 emergency. The Chancellor’s
Office will issue a memo soon clarifying the Title 5
regulations regarding the funding guarantee. The
chancellor also discussed student financial aid issues,
access, and support on the call.
UNIVERSITY
Find information from the AFT, the University Council-AFT, and the University of California.
AFT Guidance
In addition to the numerous bulletins under the tabs Your Health and Your Rights, the AFT has compiled this document for union members working in higher education.
UC-AFT Resources
-
UC-AFT
resources page
Visit the UC-AFT website to find key information for lecturers and librarians. You will find UC leave policies, union bargaining updates, as well as a helpful Q&A about the transition to online teaching and distance learning resources.
University of California
-
UC
response to COVID-19
Guidance for campuses, current press releases, a helpful glossary of terms, and rolling updates. Sign up for COVID-19 updates from UC.
RETIREMENT SYSTEMS
Find a summary of key information released by CalSTRS and CalPERS, and links to their COVID-19 response pages.
CalSTRS
CalSTRS response to COVID-19
CalSTRS provides information about service credit in the event of
school closure, their efforts to safeguard CalSTRS pension funds
and maintain continuity of pension checks for retirees, as well
as other issues related to the pandemic.
Rolling Updates
APRIL 1, 2020
Video message from CalSTRS CEO
Long-time CEO Jack Ehnes (who has postponed his retirement due to
the coronavirus pandemic) sums up current CalSTRS operation
and answers the most frequently asked questions — about service
credit and teachers who are retiring this year.
MARCH 25, 2020
CalSTRS operations during COVID-19
Read this blog post to learn about your retirement benefits
payment and direct deposit, as well as an update CalSTRS
operation due to office closures and ongoing member inquiries by
telephone,
MARCH 16, 2020
CalSTRS Circular Effects of school closures due to
COVID-19 (Service credit)
There is no adverse impact to a member’s service credit, as
long as the district continues to pay employees during school
closures.
CalPERS
CalPERS response to COVID-19
The CalPERS website includes information about
the system’s efforts to safeguard pension funds, how CalPERS is
ensuring continuity of care for its health plans, and other
essential pandemic-related information for members.
- FAQ for CalPERS members
- Q&A with Chief Health Director for individuals on CalPERS health plans
Rolling Updates
APRIL 10, 2020
CalPERS Stakeholder Letter
There are no changes to processes related to pension checks.
However, CalPERS has been notified by the State
Controller that direct deposit statements will not be
printed and mailed to retirees until further notice. This is
important to note because the May 1 retirement checks will
include changes due to annual COLAs. Retirees should refer to
direct deposit statements that are available online through your
myCalPERS account.
A few members are being denied care from CalPERS health plans for pre-existing conditions due to impacted resources related to COVID-19. Members should not be denied care. The CalPERS Health Team is in touch with its health plans to ensure that members are receiving the care needed.
APRIL 1, 2020
CalPERS Circular
April 1 retirement checks were successfully paid to members on
time. The state Controller’s Office is not printing and
mailing direct deposit statements; statements are available
online through your myCalPERS account.
Some employers are beginning to offer early retirement incentives and members have questions about the process but our headquarters and regional offices remain closed. Please apply for retirement online through your myCalPERS account. There is an instructional video to walk you through the process. Phone calls to the Contact Center remain at lower than normal levels, but members should expect longer wait times at peak hours. About 78 percent of the CalPERS workforce is working remotely (with the closure date now extended to April 30), but operations are running smoothly despite the circumstances.
MARCH 18, 2020
CalPERS Circular
The governor’s
March 12 executive order, among other things, suspends
reinstatement and the retired annuitant work-hour limitation of
960 hours per fiscal year during the state of emergency. Any
hours worked by a retired annuitant to ensure adequate staffing
during the state of emergency will not be counted toward the
960-hour limit for the fiscal year.
FOR UNION LEADERS
The CFT and AFT are committed to providing affiliates with the information needed to protect our members and the communities they serve.
MOUs
The CFT is providing advice to local union leaders for when a school, worksite, district, or college is closed because of the coronavirus threat.
- The CFT has prepared Memorandum of Understanding templates regarding the coronavirus, school closure, and employee rights. There are separate templates for K-12 and higher education local union leaders.
- To obtain these templates, please email CFT Training Director Zev Kvitky.
AFT Bulletins & Guidance
The AFT has prepared guidance documents for making information requests and to understand the work of “essential employees.” Find links to these documents below; they are updated as the AFT updates them.
Collective Bargaining & Information Requests
- Emergency Declarations, Executive Orders and the Implications for Collective Bargaining
- Guidance for K-12 Leaders on Information Requests and Requests to Bargain
- Guidance for Higher Education Leaders on Information Requests and Requests to Bargain
Essential Workers & Information Requests
- Essential Personnel FAQs
- Information Requests and Bargaining About Essential Employees (Public Sector)
- Information Requests and Bargaining About Essential Employees (Private Sector)
Public Employment Relations Board
The California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) is the quasi-judicial administrative agency charged with administering the eight collective bargaining statutes covering employees of the state’s public schools, colleges, and universities.
Although PERB has closed its offices, employees are performing their duties via telework and will continue to accept email, U.S. mail, and facsimile filings.
Union Websites
- AFT: Watch for new information from our national affiliate
- California Labor Federation: Tracking the state response, food bank locations and much more
- AFL-CIO: Tracking the federal response