Remote Learning Guidance

Grading
Assessment at the birth through second grade level should be focused on student progress and
learning, not assignment completion and due dates. We believe it is essential to communicate
the need for authentic student artifacts to enable educators to provide relevant feedback for
continued learning.
Fewer standards/activities focused on familiar content may be completed within the remote
learning time frame in accordance with the instructional guidelines regarding minutes of direct
instruction, while also considering differentiation and individual student/grade level depth of
knowledge on each standard. It is recommended that new content is not introduced during the
remote learning period. Children may require hands-on involvement by parents, caregivers,
siblings, or others depending on their age and developmental stage. Consider what you are
asking families to complete as it may be a family who lacks time and ability to engage in
continuous learning, or it may be a sibling or neighbor that is responsible for the child’s
supervision and continuous learning.
Districts currently providing technology-rich environments should use their platforms to the
fullest extent, while remaining mindful of the screen time 10 guidelines for young learners. As this
situation evolves, districts should consider the implementation and development of additional
online learning platforms.
Communication
The advisory group recommends communication with parents/caregivers to ensure continuity of
care/instruction. We acknowledge the current national situation and environment. We do not
wish to add additional stress to families to assess their child’s achievement rather we seek to
maintain communication with families regarding the progress they are seeing at home.
A routine for regular and consistent communication with families should be established. This
may be through phone calls, emails, or other digital resources that are available to families.
Developmentally Appropriate Assessments
It is recommended that students be assessed upon return to school (potentially in the fall) to
determine their instructional needs. If a district does not already have one of these
assessments, ISBE is developing have a tool for districts to utilize.
Developmentally appropriate assessments from birth through prekindergarten consist of
authentic play-based assessment. In a remote learning environment, that would focus on
regular communication with family members. This communication would not be a time to assess
skills but rather a time to discuss authentic, play-based learning experiences in the home.
Developmentally appropriate assessments for kindergarten through second grade that
demonstrate continuation of learning may include:
● Photos of artifacts - Parent/caregiver submit a photo of student work and the teacher
provides standards-based feedback.
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https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Preschool_for_All_Implementation_Manual.pdf
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