History of Connections Screener in RI
3. The Impact of COVID-19
The 2020-21 school year had unprecedented impact on students and educators due to the impact of COVID-19 on our learning environments. In turn, this had an effect on how educators were able to connect with their students, as well as how we could measure those connections. In this course we will be showing you how the Connections Screener is intended to be implemented and relay information about implementation in pre-COVID setting. We have also learned from administration of the Connections Screener during virtual, in-person and hybrid settings and will share those with you.
As a response to the shift in education due to COVID-19, in February 2021 Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green announced the Learning, Equity & Accelerated Pathways (LEAP) Task Force which convened and engaged in a participatory, evidence-informed, data-driven process to understand impact on Rhode Island student learning in partnership with educational experts, practitioners, families, students and community members across Rhode Island. In April 2021 the Learning, Equity & Accelerated Pathways Task Force Report was published. Of particular note in this report is the focus on student social and emotional well-being and safety embedded throughout the recommendations. In particular:
- A strong focus on relationships for positive site climate.
- Universally screening all students both academically and social-emotionally, and targeting resources based on need and urgency.
- The importance of relationship and ensuring students have a consistent adult in their life and giving students the opportunity to create sustained supportive relationships with adults.
- Prioritizing students’ and staff's health and safety above all else.
This is especially true in low-income communities and for the most at-risk and vulnerable students—students of color, differently-abled students, and multilingual learners—who were already facing disparities that have now been exacerbated. Although these
numbers may be higher in particular locations, vulnerable students exist in all of our schools and districts and we must ensure that we are finding ways to meet their needs.
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Optional Resources
Please select if you are interested in reading the full LEAP Task Force Report: