HB 6556 Summary

• Department of Education shall collect and evaluate student performance data on state-wide mastery examinations for school years July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 to identify and measure learning loss and student disengagement resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Department must develop learning loss mitigation strategies by October 1, 2021 including in-school interventions, tutoring, afterschool and summer programs, and community learning pods, with periodic assessments to track progress.

• Department shall provide resources and technical assistance to local and regional boards of education to extend school days or years to increase learning time for students experiencing learning loss.

• Department of Education may administer a grant program for summer learning programs providing minimum 240 hours of educational and recreational activities with small group literacy and math instruction for kindergarten through grade 12 students.

• Alliance districts must offer summer learning programs in fiscal years ending June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2023, and substitute teacher requirements are relaxed for school years commencing July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021.