Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
Legislative Auditor's Conclusion:
Racial disparities in student assessment scores increased during the
COVID-19 pandemic, especially in higher poverty schools. The Office of Superintendent of
Public Instruction does not yet have a process to monitor the effectiveness of federally
funded interventions to promote learning recovery.
May 2023
Executive Summary
JLARC staff were directed to analyze how restrictions to in-person instruction
affected racial equity in education during the COVID-19 pandemic
In March 2020, Governor Inslee restricted in-person education in public K-12 schools
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students received remote instruction for the remainder
of that school year. During the 2020-21 school year, students began returning to
in-person instruction. In June 2021, JLARC directed its staff to analyze how
pandemic-related restrictions to in-person instruction affected educational
opportunities and academic outcomes for students of different races and ethnicities.
JLARC staff measured changes in racial equity by analyzing indicators such as student
enrollment, assessment scores, access to quality teachers, and substance use and
mental health.
This report analyzes Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) data that
uses federal race and ethnicity categories. State law directs OSPI to collect more
detailed race and ethnicity data, but complete data was unavailable for this study.
Most students were offered hybrid instruction during the 2020-21 school year. By the
end of the year, 19.3% of students were offered fully in-person instruction.
During the 2020-21 school year, school districts offered in-person, remote, or hybrid instructionHybrid instruction
includes offering in-person instruction to some grades and remote instruction to
other grades, or offering all students a combination of remote and in-person
instruction. to students. At the beginning of the year, 27.0% of
students attended schools that offered fully remote instruction and almost no schools
offered fully in-person instruction. By the end of the year, almost no schools offered
fully remote instruction, 80.6% of students attended schools that offered hybrid
instruction, and 19.3% attended schools that offered fully in-person instruction.
By race and ethnicity, students attended schools that offered in-person instruction
at different rates. White, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaskan Native
students had the highest rate of fully in-person instruction at the end of the 2020-21
school year. Asian and Black/African American students had the lowest rate of fully
in-person instruction.
Student assessment scores declined during the pandemic. School poverty level had the
greatest association with assessment scores.
Assessment scores are a key indicator of educational equity. Washington students take
an annual assessment in math and English language arts (ELA) skills. JLARC staff
analyzed assessment score data for Spring 2019, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022.
Assessment scores, especially math scores, declined for students of all races and
ethnicities. While scores declined more for some groups, existing disparities in
assessment scores increased during the pandemic. JLARC staff identified other school
and student characteristics that were associated with assessment scores. School
poverty level had the largest association with assessment scores. This association
increased during the pandemic. Larger score declines were not necessarily associated
with less in-person instruction.
Other educational equity indicators show no change or small improvements in racial
disparities
JLARC staff evaluated other educational equity indicators, such as substance use,
mental health, and access to quality teachers.
Students of all races and ethnicities reported less substance use and increased
anxiety
In response to surveys, students reported using cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana at
lower rates in 2021 than in 2018. Students reported increased feelings of anxiety.
However, these responses did not vary by student race and ethnicity.
The percentage of experienced teachers increased, reducing racial disparities in
access to quality teachers
From the 2018-19 to 2020-21 school years, the percentage of experienced teachers
(teachers with five or more years of experience) increased from 75% to 80% statewide.
This meant all students had greater access to experienced teachers, narrowing
pre-pandemic racial disparities in access to quality teachers. (See Section
4.)
OSPI has not yet established processes to monitor districts’ efforts to address the
pandemic's academic effects or the outcomes of emergency spending
To address the impacts of the pandemic, OSPI received $2.9 billion in federal
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. Most of the funds are
passed on to school districts.
Districts developed plans to address the effects of the pandemic. The plans include
specific interventions to help students recover academically. OSPI has not yet
provided a process for districts to report their progress implementing the plans. OSPI
collects expenditure data for ESSER funds, but current expenditure categories do not
provide sufficient detail to determine how much is spent on specific
interventions.
Legislative Auditor Recommendations
The Legislative Auditor makes two recommendations:
OSPI should finish collecting more detailed race and ethnicity data for all
students, in accordance with 2016 state legislation.
OSPI should establish a process to monitor school districts’ implementation of
their Academic and Student Well-being Recovery Plans, in accordance with 2021 state
legislation.
OSPI concurs with one recommendation, and partially concurs with the other
recommendation. View the Legislative Auditor's response to agency comments. You can find additional
information in Recommendations.
Committee Action to Distribute Report
On May 10, 2023 this report was approved for distribution by the Joint Legislative
Audit and Review Committee. Action to distribute this report does not imply the
Committee agrees or disagrees with Legislative Auditor recommendations.
Update, July 2023
Data in Section 2 and Appendix regarding percentage of curriculum taught was
corrected. The percentages reported (58% and 59%) were reversed in the
original.
Data in Exhibits A1 and A2, including supporting text, was corrected to
include data from a more current regression model. This change does not affect
the report's findings or conclusions.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Report Details
1. Staff evaluated pandemic's effects on racial equity in education
The Legislature directed JLARC staff to evaluate how COVID-19
restrictions to in-person instruction affected racial equity in education
In March 2020, Governor Inslee issued a proclamation restricting in-person education
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of in-person instruction, school districts"School districts" in this report refers
to all Local Education Agencies, including 295 school districts, six
tribal-compact schools, and other jurisdictions, such as charter schools and the
schools for the blind and deaf. provided remote instruction to
students. Additional proclamations extended restrictions for the rest of the 2019-20
school year. Districts began reopening school buildings during the 2020-21 school year
in accordance with state and local public health rules. By April 2021, all districts
were required to offer some in-person instruction.
Exhibit 1.1: In-person instruction was restricted during the 2019-20 school year.
Students began returning to the classroom during the 2020-21 school year.
Source: JLARC staff analysis.
In June 2021, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) directed its
staff to analyze how the restrictions to in-person instruction affected educational
opportunities and academic outcomes for students of different races and
ethnicities.
JLARC staff were not directed to evaluate the many factors public officials
considered in their responses to an unprecedented global public health emergency, or
specific decisions about how to limit in-person school activities.
Public officials considered complex factors in their decisions for restricting
in-person education, including:
Local COVID-19 caseload, transmission rate, and health care treatment
capacity.
Student internet and device access.
Needs for students of different ages and ability levels.
Functionality of existing school facilities for offering a safe environment for
in-person instruction.
Availability of the local teaching workforce.
Infrastructure and staff skills needed for remote instruction.
Local community preferences.
JLARC staff analyzed available racial equity indicators
As in all states, disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes existed
between Washington students of different races and ethnicities before the pandemic.
For example, disparities exist in:
Percentage of students meeting state standards on standardized tests.
Access to experienced teachers.
Course passage.
Discipline rates.
Other state and federal agenciesState
agencies include the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Educational
Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee, and the Legislature.
Federal agencies include the Department of Education and the Government
Accountability Office. have collected information about racial
disparities. JLARC staff used information about existing disparities as a baseline for
measuring changes during the pandemic.
JLARC staff analyzed public education data from the Office of Superintendent of
Public Instruction (OSPI) for 2018 through 2022 to identify changes in racial equity
after restrictions to in-person instruction. Data was available for student
enrollment, assessment scores, access to quality teachers, substance use, and mental
health. Due to changing policies during the pandemic, reliable and comparable data was
not available for other equity indicators, such as attendance, course passage, on-time
grade-level progression, graduation rates, and student discipline.
Student race and ethnicity data uses federal categories
The 2016 Legislature (4SHB 1541) directed OSPI to collect detailed student race and
ethnicity information. For example, OSPI must expand the "Asian" category to
differentiate Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, and other sub-racial and sub-ethnic
identities. When JLARC staff began this review in 2021, OSPI had detailed race and
ethnicity data for 18% of Washington students. By June 2022, OSPI had data for 63% of
students.
In the absence of detailed race and ethnicity data for all students, this report
analyzes OSPI data that uses federal race and ethnicity categories (Exhibit 1.2).
Until OSPI completes its data collection, more detail about disparities in education
for sub-racial and sub-ethnic groups will not be available.
Exhibit 1.2: Data in this report uses federal race and ethnicity categories
Race
Definition
American Indian/Alaska Native
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South
America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification
through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Asian
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East,
Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia,
China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands,
Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black/African American
A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa,
or other Pacific Islands.
White
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle
East, or North Africa.
Two or more races
A person reporting two or more of the above racial groups.
Ethnicity
Hispanic/Latino
A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other
Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics.
Legislative Auditor Recommendation #1
OSPI should finish collecting more detailed race and ethnicity data for all students,
in accordance with 2016 state legislation.
OSPI concurs with this recommendation. You can find additional information in
Recommendations.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Report Details
2. Hybrid instruction in 2020-21
Most districts offered hybrid instruction during the 2020-21
school year. By the end of the year, 19.3% of students were offered fully in-person
instruction. Students of different races and ethnicities returned to in-person learning
at different rates.
As noted in Section
1, public schools switched from in-person to remote instruction in March 2020.
During the 2020-21 school year, schools began to return to in-person instruction. The
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) collected data from school
districts about the types of instruction offered at the districts' schools during the
2020-21 school year. Schools offered three types of instruction:
Remote: Schools offered all instruction outside school facilities. Remote
instruction tools may include email, videoconferencing, printed packets of
instructional material, and online learning management systems.
In-person: Schools offered all instruction in person, in a classroom or
another school facility.
Hybrid: Schools offered a combination of remote and in-person instruction.
This includes offering in-person instruction to some grades and remote instruction to
other grades, or offering all students a combination of remote and in-person
instruction.
Some students may have opted to receive different types of instruction than their
district offered. For example, some students may have continued to receive fully remote
or hybrid instruction after their district switched to fully in-person instruction.
However, student-level data about instruction type was unavailable.
Most students were offered hybrid instruction during the 2020-21 school year.
In-person instruction increased by the end of the year.
At the start of the 2020-21 school year:
72.1% of students attended schools that offered hybrid instruction.
27.0% of students attended schools that offered fully remote
instruction.
0.9% of students attended schools that offered fully in-person
instruction.
By the end of the school year:
80.6% of students attended schools that offered hybrid instruction.
19.3% of students attended schools that offered fully in-person
instruction.
0.1% of students attended schools that offered fully remote instruction.
During the 2021-22 school year, most districts offered fully in-person instruction and
OSPI stopped collecting information about instruction type.
Exhibit 2.1: Most students were offered hybrid instruction during the 2020-21 school
year
Source: JLARC staff analysis of OSPI data.
White, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaskan Native students returned to
in-person instruction at the highest rates
While student-level data about instruction type was unavailable, JLARC staff analyzed
school-level student race and ethnicity data to approximate the rate at which each
instruction type was offered to students of different races and ethnicities statewide.
At the beginning of the 2020-21 school year:
The highest rate of remote instruction was for Black/African American (41.4%) and
Hispanic/Latino (34.9%) students. The lowest was for White students (21.9%).
The highest rate of hybrid instruction was for White students (76.7%). The lowest
was for Black/African American students (58.4%).
By the end of the 2020-21 school year:
Fully remote instruction was phased out for all students.
Thehighest rate of in-person instruction was for White (24.1%), American
Indian/Alaskan Native (21.0%), and Hispanic/Latino (20.7%) students.
The lowest rate of in-person instruction was for Asian (3.2%) and Black/African
American (6.2%) students.
Exhibit 2.2: White, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaskan Native students
returned to in-person instruction at higher rates than Asian and Black/African American
students. Use the navigation arrows to view data for students of different races and
ethnicities.
Source: JLARC staff analysis of OSPI data. Student race and ethnicity categories are
federal categories derived from OSPI data.
Public school enrollment declined during the pandemic, especially for White
students
During the 2019-20 school year, 52.3% of Washington students enrolled in K-12 public
schools were White, 24.0% were Hispanic/Latino, and the remainder were other races and
ethnicities. While the overall racial and ethnic composition of Washington students did
not change significantly by the end of the 2021-22 school year, White student enrollment
decreased to 49.8%, and students of other races and ethnicities made up a larger share
of statewide enrollment.
Exhibit 2.3: The proportion of White students enrolled statewide declined between the
2019-20 and 2021-22 school years
Student Race and Ethnicity
Enrollment Proportion, 2019-20
Enrollment Proportion, 2020-21
Enrollment Proportion, 2021-22
American Indian/Native American
1.3%
1.3%
1.3%
Asian
8.0%
8.2%
8.4%
Black/African American
4.6%
4.7%
4.8%
Hispanic/Latino
24.0%
24.7%
25.4%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
1.2%
1.3%
1.4%
Two or more races
8.6%
8.7%
8.9%
White
52.3%
51.0%
49.8%
Source: JLARC staff analysis of OSPI data. Student race and ethnicity categories are
federal categories derived from OSPI data. Percentages may not total 100% due to
rounding.
Between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, total enrollment in K-12 schools
decreased from 1,195,960 to 1,153,371, a loss of 42,589 students (3.6%). Enrollment
decreased by an additional 8,170 students (0.7%) in the 2021-22 school year. There were
disparities in enrollment changes for students of different races and ethnicities
(Exhibit 2.4). For example,
White student enrollment declined at the highest rate, by 5.9%.
Enrollment for Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students increased by 3.4%.
Enrollment for students of other races and ethnicities decreased by 0.6% to
2.2%.
Exhibit 2.4: Between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, enrollment decreased the
most for White students, by 5.9%
Student Race and Ethnicity
Enrollment Change, 2019-20 to 2020-21
Enrollment Change, 2020-21 to 2021-22
American Indian/Native American
-106
(-0.7%)
-740
(-4.8%)
Asian
-729
(-0.8%)
1,879
(2.0%)
Black/African American
-341
(-0.6%)
997
(1.8%)
Hispanic/Latino
-2,068
(-0.7%)
5,800
(2.0%)
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
488
(3.4%)
882
(6.0%)
Two or more races
-2,296
(-2.2%)
588
(0.6%)
White
-37,224
(-5.9%)
-17,625
(-3.0%)
Total
-42,589
(-3.6%)
-8,170
(-0.7%)
Source: JLARC staff analysis of OSPI data. Student race and ethnicity categories are
federal categories derived from OSPI data. The total includes 313 students for whom race
and ethnicity data was not provided in 2020-21 and 58 students in 2021-22.
Before restrictions to in-person education, racial disparities in enrollment existed at
schools of different poverty levels. School poverty level is measured by the percentage
of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch. These disparities did not change
during the pandemic. During the 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22 school years:
Students who were Asian, White, or two or more races were more likely to be enrolled
in low poverty schoolsSchools with
0-25% of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch..
Students who were American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American,
Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander were more likely to be
enrolled in high poverty schoolsSchools with 75-100% of students eligible for free and reduced-price
lunch..
As discussed in Section
3, school poverty level is one of the largest factors associated with student
assessment scores.
Teachers reported teaching 58-73% of their normal curriculum and other challenges
during the 2020-21 school year
With the assistance of the Social Development Research Group at the University of
Washington, JLARC staff surveyed Washington teachers about the effects of the pandemic.
JLARC staff received responses from 6,692 teachers from 1,475 schools in 228 school
districts. For more detail about survey results, see Appendix
B.
Exhibit 2.5: Teachers at schools with more in-person instruction reported higher
curriculum coverage
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
Teachers reported that after restrictions to in-person instruction, they covered an
average of
59%
of their normal curriculum. Higher percentages of in-person instruction were associated
with more curriculum coverage (Exhibit 2.5). As noted above, White, Hispanic/Latino, and
American Indian/Pacific Islander students had the highest rates of in-person instruction
and Asian and Black/African American students had the lowest.
During the 2020-21 school year:
Teachers at schools that spent 75% or more of the year in person reported covering
73% of their normal curriculum.
Teachers
at schools that spent less than 25% of the year in person reported covering
58%
of their normal curriculum.
The survey asked
teachers
to identify "serious problems" they experienced during the 2020-21 school year. The most
common issues were:
Students missing class (67%).
Students not completing homework assignments (62%).
Class participation (56%).
Student apathy (54%)
Student mental health (47%).
JLARC staff analyzed teacher responses by the race and ethnicity breakdown of their
schools. Teachers at schools with lower percentages of White students were more likely
to report certain issues as "serious problems" than teachers at schools with higher
percentages of White students (Exhibit 2.6).
Exhibit 2.6: Teachers at schools with lower percentages of White students reported
more issues as "serious problems"
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
Teachers at schools with lower percentagesof White students also were more
likely to report certain barriers to student learning, including access to digital
devices and reliable internet connections, and capacity of family members to support
learning at home.
Exhibit 2.7: Teachers at schools with lower percentages of White students were more
likely to report certain barriers to student learning
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Report Details
4. Little change in other equity indicators
Other educational equity indicators show no change or small
improvement in racial disparities
JLARC staff evaluated racial disparities in other education equity indicators. Data was
available for student substance use, mental health, and access to experienced
teachers.
Substance use declined and mental health problems increased for students of all races
and ethnicities
Student substance use and mental health problems are linked to lower grades, test
scores, and educational achievement. To measure changes in substance use and mental
health problems after restrictions to in-person education, JLARC staff analyzed student
responses to the 2018 and 2021 Washington State Healthy Youth
SurveyThe Department of Health (DOH) and other state
agencies administer the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey to students in sixth,
eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades. Changes made between the 2018 and 2021 surveys, in addition to the pandemic, may influence findings..
The percentage of students of all races and ethnicities reporting cigarette, alcohol,
or marijuana use in the last 30 days declined from 2018 to 2021 (Exhibit 4.1).
Reported cigarette use decreased by 58%.
Reported alcohol use decreased by 45%.
Reported marijuana use decreased by 47%.
Black/African American students reported the largest decrease in cigarette use (74%).
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students reported the largest decrease in alcohol
use (62%). Hispanic/Latino students reported the largest decrease in marijuana use
(63%).
Exhibit 4.1: The percentage of students reporting cigarette, alcohol, or marijuana use
decreased by 45% or more
Source: JLARC staff analysis of Healthy Youth Survey data. Student race and ethnicity
categories are federal categories derived from OSPI data.
Reported mental health problems increased for students of all races and
ethnicities
The percentage of students in eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade who reported feeling
nervous, anxious, or on edge increased from 64% in 2018 to 68% in 2021. Students
reporting generalized anxiety disorderFeeling nervous, anxious, on edge, or not being able to stop or control
worrying. also increased from 31% in 2018 to 39% in 2021. Students who
were White or two or more races reported the highest rates of generalized anxiety
disorder in 2018 and 2021.
Students in eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade reported a decrease in suicidal thoughts
from 22% in 2018 to 20% in 2021. Suicidal thoughts among students in sixth grade
increased from 22% in 2018 to 23% in 2021.
Exhibit 4.2: The percentage of students in eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade reporting
nervousness or anxiety increased
Source: JLARC staff analysis of Healthy Youth Survey data. Students in sixth grade
were not asked questions about hopelessness, anxiety, and worry. Student race and
ethnicity categories are federal categories derived from OSPI data.
Access to experienced teachers increased from 2019 to 2021, reducing racial
disparities
JLARC staff reviewed indicators of teacher quality to evaluate the pandemic's effect on
racial disparities in access to education. As required by federal law, the Office of
Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) tracks whether students have equitable
access to quality educators, defined by years of teaching experience, whether teachers
have a full certification, and whether they teach in their field of endorsement. Due to
delays in issuing certifications and endorsements during the pandemic, it was not
possible to measure changes in access to teachers with full certifications or teaching
in their field of endorsement.
JLARC staff compared the average percentage of experienced
teachersOSPI defines experienced teachers as those with
five or more years of experience. for students of each race and
ethnicity. The percentage of experienced teachers statewide increased from 75% in the
2018-19 school year to 80% in the 2020-21 school year. Racial disparities improved as
students of all races and ethnicities had greater access to experienced teachers.
During the 2018-19 school year, 77% of teachers for White students and 68% to 75% of
teachers for students of other races and ethnicities were experienced.
During the 2020-21 school year, 81% of teachers for White students and 75% to 79% of
teachers for students of other races and ethnicities were experienced.
Exhibit 4.3: The percentage of experienced teachers increased for all student races
and ethnicities
Source: JLARC staff analysis of OSPI data. Student race and ethnicity categories are
federal categories derived from OSPI data.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Report Details
5. Limited recovery monitoring
OSPI has not yet established processes to monitor districts’
efforts to address the academic effects of restricted in-person instruction or outcomes
of emergency spending
To address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Superintendent of
Public Instruction (OSPI) received $2.9 billion in federal Elementary and Secondary
School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The federal government distributed three rounds
of ESSER funding in July 2020, March 2021, and July 2021. Under federal law, 90% of
these funds must be passed on to school districts. Districts must spend at least $334
million of these funds to address "learning loss"The academic effect of lost instructional time due to school
closures. and the disproportionate effects of the pandemic on
certain student groups, including racial and ethnic groups.
School district plans for ESSER spending identify interventions to address learning
loss
As required by state and federal law, districts submitted Academic and Student
Well-being Recovery Plans to OSPI in 2021. The plans explain how districts intend to
use emergency funding to address student needs resulting from school building closures
and remote learning. Districts identified specific interventions, including:
Social-emotional learning and mental health supports (94% of districts).
Summer school (72% of districts).
Additional instructional time before or after school (62% of districts).
High-quality tutoring (42% of districts).
Districts used equity analysis tools to develop their plans
OSPI required districts to use equity analysis tools when developing their recovery
plans. 79% of districts used a tool that specifically considered racial equity.
Schools may also have included additional equity considerations for low-income
students, students with disabilities, English language learners, students experiencing
homelessness, and students in foster care.
OSPI has not yet established processes to monitor plan implementation or measure
outcomes of ESSER spending
The 2021 Legislature (ESHB 1368) directed schools to report their progress
implementing their Academic and Student Well-being Recovery Plans to OSPI. In a plan
submitted to the United States Department of Education, OSPI committed to measuring
and monitoring outcomes of ESSER spending. As of October 2022, OSPI had not identified
a way for schools or school districts to report their progress, nor had it established
a process to measure outcomes of ESSER spending.
Without monitoring districts' progress or measuring spending outcomes, there is
limited information available about whether districts are achieving their goals or if
they are addressing racial disparities in education. As school districts and OSPI
determine how to target remaining recovery funds, the data in this JLARC report may
help with monitoring changes in equity indicators for students of different races and
ethnicities, school poverty level, and other factors.
There is insufficient detail at the state level to identify how much money is being
spent on specific interventions
As of September 2022, districts spent about $1.2 billion (45%) of federal ESSER
funds.
OSPI tracks district spending using broad categories consistent with state and
federal requirements. These categories do not provide sufficient detail to identify
the amount spent on specific educational interventions. For example, the third round
of ESSER funding included funds allocated for addressing learning recovery. Districts
report learning recovery expenditures in five categories: one-time contracts for
staff, professional learning for educators, real-time data systems, other direct
supports, or other uses not included above. As of September 2022, districts reported
74% of expenditures as "other direct supports" or "other." This means it is not
possible to determine how much districts have spent on the interventions identified in
their plans, such as tutoring, additional instructional time before school, or
social-emotional learning.
Legislative Auditor Recommendation #2
OSPI should establish a process to monitor school districts’ implementation of their
Academic and Student Well-being Recovery Plans, in accordance with 2021 state
legislation.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Report Details
Interactive assessment score dashboard
Assessment score dashboard
This interactive dashboard shows scores on the Smarter Balanced Assessment from 2017 to
2022. The dashboard may be filtered by district and by test (English Language Arts or
Math) to show median assessment scores by race and ethnicity.
In accordance with federal privacy laws, any data with fewer than ten students is not
viewable.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Report Details
Appendix A: Assessment score analysis
Regression analysis identified variables associated with changes
in student assessment scores
JLARC staff used linear regression to analyze how certain student and school variables
affected math and English language arts (ELA) scores on the Spring 2019, Fall 2021, and
Spring 2022 assessments.
Regression analysis estimates relationships between variables and an outcome
Regression analysis is a statistical technique that estimates the quantitative
relationships between multiple factors (independent variables) and a particular outcome
(dependent variable). For example, regression analysis can measure how in-person
instruction is associated with a student's assessment scores. When there are many
factors that affect an outcome, regression can "control for," or take into
consideration, the other factors. For this study, JLARC staff used regression analysis
to measure how in-person instruction was associated with a student's assessment score,
while separately taking into consideration other factors such as the student's race and
ethnicity or their eligibility for free and-reduced price lunch (FRL).
JLARC staff conducted several regression analyses to estimate how much variation in
scores can be attributed to other factors. We analyzed two dependent variables:
Math scores on the Spring 2019, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022 assessments.
ELA scores on the Spring 2019, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022 assessments.
Source data
JLARC staff analyzed data from two datasets maintained by the Office of Superintendent
of Public Instruction (OSPI): the Comprehensive Education Data and Research System
(CEDARS) and School District Reopening Timeline data.
CEDARS: OSPI provided JLARC staff with student-level data from their
Comprehensive Education Data and Research System (CEDARS). CEDARS is a longitudinal data
warehouse of education data. Districts report data about courses, students, and
teachers. Student data includes demographics, enrollment information, and assessment
scores. The regression analysis included assessment scores for roughly 600,000
students.
School District Reopening Timeline data: OSPI collected data from school
districts about the instruction mode for elementary, middle, and high schools in each
district during the 2020-21 school year. This data was collected monthly in 2020 and
weekly in 2021.
Dependent variables
The dependent variable in the linear regression is students' Smarter Balanced
Assessment (SBA) scores in math and English language arts (ELA) in Spring 2019, Fall
2021, and Spring 2022. The SBA is a standardized test and scores fall on a continuous
scale from 2,000 to 3,000.
Independent variables
JLARC staff identified independent variables that may affect assessment scores based on
a review of existing research and interviews with academic researchers. Research
supports the effect of the following variables on academic outcomes. OSPI's CEDARS data
includes these variables for each student or school.
Student race and ethnicity (categorical): A student’s race or ethnicity as
defined by federal categories.
Student FRL status (binary): Whether a student was eligible for free or
reduced-price lunch (FRL).
School poverty level (continuous): The proportion of students eligible for
FRL at a school.
In-person instruction (continuous): The proportion of the school year a
student's school offered fully in-person instruction.
School level (categorical): Whether a student was in elementary, middle, or
high school. JLARC staff used this variable to control for differences in assessment
scores between grade levels.
Results
Exhibits A1 and A2 below present the results of the linear regression for the three
assessments. The adjusted r-squared statistics in the table represent the amount of
variation in the dependent variable (assessment score) that is accounted for by the
independent variables. The adjusted r-squared statistic ranged from
0.227
to
0.242
for ELA scores and from
0.231
to
0.269
for math scores.
JLARC staff used White students as the baseline of comparison for students of other
races and ethnicities because White students comprise roughly half of Washington
students.
Exhibit A1 presents the results of the regression analysis for the ELA assessments. The
results show how the independent variables affected ELA scores on each assessment. For
example:
American Indian/Alaskan Native students' average assessment scores were
9.8%
lower than White students' scores in Spring 2019,
8.9%
lower in Fall 2021, and
9.2%
lower in Spring 2022.
Asian students' average assessment score were
4.1%
higher than White students' scores in Spring 2019,
4.8%
higher in Fall 2021, and
5.8%
higher in Spring 2022.
Students eligible for FRL had assessment scores
10.4%
lower, on average, than students who were not eligible for FRL in Spring
2019.
Students at schools where 100% of the students were eligible for FRL had assessment
scores
13.1%
lower, on average, than students at schools where 0% of the students were
eligible for FRL in Spring 2019.
Students at schools where in-person instruction was provided for 100% of the school
year had assessment scores 0.1% higher, on average, than students at schools
where in-person instruction was used for 0% of the school year in Fall 2021, and
1.4%
higher in Spring 2022.
Exhibit A1: Results of the linear regression on ELA assessment scores
Estimated Association
Variable
Spring 2019
Fall 2021
Spring 2022
American Indian/Alaskan Native
-9.8%
-8.9%
-9.2%
Asian
+4.1%
+4.8%
+5.8%
Black/African American
-6.7%
-6.9%
-6.0%
Hispanic/Latino
-4.8%
-5.6%
-5.0%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
-7.9%
-9.8%
-8.6%
Two or more races
-0.4%
-0.6%
-0.3%
Student FRL status
-10.4%
-9.8%
-10.2%
School poverty level
-13.1%
-17.2%
-16.6%
Traditional instruction
N/A
+0.1%
+1.4%
Source: JLARC staff statistical analysis of OSPI assessment data. Student race and
ethnicity categories are federal categories derived from OSPI data.
Exhibit A2 presents the results of the regression analysis for the math assessments.
The results show how the independent variables affected math scores on each assessment.
For example:
Black/African American
students'
average assessment scores were
8.8%
lower than White students in Spring 2019.
Hispanic/Latino
students'
average assessment score were
5.1%
lower than White students in Spring 2019,
5.9%
lower in Fall 2021, and
6.0%
lower in Spring 2022.
Students eligible for FRL had assessment scores
11.7%
lower, on average, than students who were not eligible for FRL in Spring
2019.
Students at schools where 100% of the students were eligible for FRL had assessment
scores
15.0%
lower, on average, than students at schools where 0% of the students were
eligible for FRL in Spring 2019,
21.9%
lower, on average, in Fall 2021, and
20.5%
lower, on average, in Spring 2022.
Students at schools where in-person instruction was provided for 100% of the school
year had assessment scores
3.3%
higher, on average, than students at schools where in-person instruction was
used for 0% of the school year in Fall 2021, and
2.7%
higher in Spring 2022.
Exhibit A2: Results of the linear regression on math assessment scores
Estimated Association
Variable
Spring 2019
Fall 2021
Spring 2022
American Indian/Alaskan Native
-9.9%
-9.3%
-10.2%
Asian
+9.9%
+12.4%
+10.6%
Black/African American
-8.8%
-9.3%
-8.8%
Hispanic/Latino
-5.1%
-5.9%
-6.0%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
-8.6%
-10.4%
-11.2%
Two or more races
-0.9%
-0.9%
-1.2%
Student FRL status
-11.7%
-12.0%
-11.9%
School poverty level
-15.0%
-21.9%
-20.5%
Traditional instruction
N/A
+3.3%
+2.7%
Source: JLARC staff statistical analysis of OSPI assessment data. Student race and
ethnicity categories are federal categories derived from OSPI data.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Report Details
Appendix B: Teacher survey
JLARC staff surveyed teachers about their experiences during the
pandemic
JLARC staff contracted with the Social Development Research Group at the University of
Washington (UW) to administer on online survey to Washington state teachers. The survey
was administered from March to June 2022. A link to the survey was emailed to 35,273
teachers whose professional email addresses were available in the Office of
Superintendent of Public Instruction’s (OSPI’s) professional development system. The UW
surveyor team emailed teachers and, when possible, contacted them by telephone to
encourage survey response. JLARC staff also emailed school administrators and
professional organizations to encourage survey responses and to make the survey
available to teachers whose email addresses were not available through OSPI.
The survey consisted of 11 questions about teachers’ experiences and perceptions during
the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics included:
Training and professional development.
Staffing.
Grading policies.
Curriculum coverage.
Instructional activities.
Problems teachers faced.
Barriers to learning opportunities.
Time spent reviewing material after returning to in-person instruction.
Nearly 7,000 teachers responded from across the state
In total, 6,692 teachers from 228 school districts and 1,475 schools responded to the
survey. Responses by grade level and Educational Service District (ESD) are summarized
below.
Exhibit B1: Teachers from all grade levels responded to the survey
Grade Level
Number of Respondents
Elementary
3,083
Middle
1,479
High
2,046
Not identifiable
84
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data. Some responses could not be linked to a
school level (this includes multilevel schools and some charter and tribal compact
schools). Some respondents did not provide sufficient information to attribute their
responses to a school.
The highest number of responses came from Puget Sound ESD 121 and the lowest number of
responses came from ESD 105 (see Exhibit).
Exhibit B2: Responses by ESD
ESD
Counties
Number of Respondents
Northeast Washington ESD 101
Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Whitman, and part of Adams
931
ESD 105
Kittitas, Yakima, and parts of Grant and Klickitat
217
ESD 112
Clark, Cowlitz, Pacific, Skamania, Wahkiakum, and part of Klickitat
743
Capital Region ESD 113
Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston
538
Olympic ESD 114
Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap
568
Puget Sound ESD 121
King and Pierce
2,188
ESD 123
Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Walla Walla, and part of
Adams
469
North Central ESD 171
Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, and part of Grant
375
Northwest ESD 189
Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom
639
Unknown
24
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data. Some respondents did not provide
sufficient information to attribute their responses to an ESD.
Responses were grouped by instruction type (in-person or remote) and school
demographics
For analysis, teacher responses were grouped into quantiles for the following
categories:
School enrollment by student race and ethnicity.
School poverty level, defined by the percentage of students eligible for free and
reduced-price lunch (FRL).
Instruction type, grouped by the percentage of the 2020-21 school year that schools
offered fully remote learning or fully in-person learning.
Responses were also grouped by Educational Service Districts (ESDs).
Exhibit B3: Most teachers disagreed that they received sufficient training and
support for remote instruction
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
Teachers reported teaching less of their normal curriculum and other challenges during
the pandemic
Most teachers reported that they did not receive sufficient training or support to
teach remotely
Teachers were asked to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the following
statement: "I received sufficient training and support to teach online."
39% of teachers who provided remote instruction agreed (strongly agreed, agreed, and
somewhat agreed) that they had received sufficient training and support to teach
remotely, compared to 54% who disagreed (strongly disagreed, disagreed, and somewhat
disagreed), and 7% were neutral.
On average, teachers reported that they had received four hours of training in how to
use virtual learning management platforms and technology, three hours in how to provide
remote instruction that is engaging and motivating to students, and two hours in how to
address diversity, equity, and inclusion in instruction. Teachers who taught at schools
with lower percentages of White students reported receiving more training hours in
providing remote instruction that was engaging and accessible and in how to use virtual
learning management platforms.
Exhibit B4: Average training hours by school enrollment (percentage of White student
population by school)
Training Topic
0-25% White Students
25-50% White Students
50-75% White Students
75-100% White Students
How to provide remote instruction that is engaging and motivating to
students
3.7
2.8
2.6
2.0
How to provide remote instruction that support students' social and emotional
well-being
2.3
1.7
1.7
1.3
How to use virtual learning management platforms and technology
4.3
3.8
3.8
3.1
How to provide remote instruction that will be accessible to all students,
regardless of resources at home (e.g., device or internet access)
1.9
1.3
1.3
0.9
How to make instruction culturally relevant to students
1.8
1.3
1.4
0.8
How to engage parents or guardians in home learning
0.7
0.6
0.6
0.5
How to address diversity, equity, and inclusion in your instruction
2.1
2.2
2.0
1.2
Other
1.8
1.8
1.6
1.1
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
Exhibit B5: Teachers reported how frequently staffing shortages affected their
teaching
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
Teachers whose schools spent more time in person reported more staffing shortages
43% of teachers responded that staffing shortages always, almost always, very often, or
often affected their teaching, 21% responded that staffing shortages sometimes affected
their teaching, and 36% responded that staffing shortages rarely, very rarely, almost
never, or never affected their teaching or responded that there was no staffing
shortage. Teachers whose schools spent more time in person were more likely to respond
that staffing shortages affected their teaching, compared to teachers whose schools
spent more time in remote instruction.
Nearly three quarters of teachers reported that policies prohibited failing grades
during remote instruction
74% of teachers responded that their schools adopted a policy prohibiting awarding
failing grades to students. Responses by ESD are summarized below.
Exhibit B6: Grading policies varied by ESD
Did your school adopt a policy prohibiting issuing failing grades?
ESD 101
ESD 105
ESD 112
ESD 113
ESD 114
ESD 121
ESD 123
ESD 171
ESD 189
Yes
71%
72%
73%
77%
78%
78%
62%
62%
81%
No
29%
28%
27%
23%
22%
22%
38%
38%
19%
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
As noted in Section 1, it was not possible to analyze some indicators of educational
equity, such as course passage rates or on-time grade level progression, due to grading
policy changes.
Exhibit B7: Teachers at schools with higher percentages of White students
reported greater curriculum coverage than schools with lower percentages of White
students
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
Teachers reported covering
59%
of their normal curriculum
During the 2020-21 school year, teachers reported covering
59%
of the material they would have covered in a typical school year. Responses varied by
instruction type (see Section
2) and by student race and ethnicity. Teachers at schools with higher percentages
of White students reported covering more of their normal curriculum than teachers at
schools with lower percentages of White students.
Students missing class was the most frequently reported problem
Teachers were asked to identify problems they faced during the 2020-21 school year. The
problems listed in the survey included:
Students missing some or all of class.
Students not completing homework assignments.
Lack of class participation.
Students dropping out.
Student apathy.
Lack of parental involvement.
Students unprepared to learn.
Poor student mental health.
Lack of academic integrity.
Lack of appropriate instructional materials.
Teachers selected if each was “not a problem,” a “minor problem,” a “moderate problem,”
or a “serious problem.” Teachers were also provided an opportunity to identify other
problems they encountered.
As noted in Section
2, more than half of teachers responded that students missing class, completing
homework, class participation, and apathy were serious problems (Exhibit B8).
Exhibit B8: Most teachers reported that students missing class was a serious problem
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
Responses varied by school poverty level and student race and ethnicity (see Section 2)
and school poverty level. For example, 74% of teachers at
high-poverty schools reported that students missing class was a serious problem compared
to 52% of teachers at low-poverty schools.
Nearly three quarters of teachers reported daily live instruction during remote
learning
Teachers were asked how frequently they performed the following instructional
activities:
Held live class/instruction.
Provided pre-recorded videos of instruction to students.
Provided other types of asynchronous content (e.g., emails, worksheets, online
learning platforms).
74% of teachers responded that they had held live class/instruction daily when their
schools were in remote learning. Responses varied by student race and ethnicity. For
example, teachers at schools with lower percentages of White students were more likely
to hold daily live instruction.
Exhibit B9: Teachers at schools with lower percentages of White students were more
likely to report holding live class daily when their schools were in remote
learning
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
Teachers identified barriers to equitable learning opportunities
Teachers were asked the extent to which the following issues were a barrier to
providing equitable learning opportunities to students during the 2020-21 school year:
Access to digital devices (e.g. a computer or tablet).
Access to reliable internet connection.
Capacity of family members to support student learning at home.
Responses are presented in the table below.
Exhibit B10: Teachers reported barriers to equitable learning opportunities
Barriers
Access to Digital Devices (e.g. a computer or tablet)
Access to Reliable Internet Connection
Capacity of Family Members to Support Student Learning at Home
Not a barrier
43%
8%
2%
A barrier for few
28%
37%
12%
A barrier for some
26%
48%
57%
A barrier for all
3%
7%
30%
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
Responses varied by student race and ethnicity (see Section 2) and by school poverty
level. Teachers were also provided the opportunity to identify other barriers to student
learning.
Many teachers reviewed material from the previous year
During the 2021-22 school year, 38% of teachers reported that their time was evenly
split between teaching new material and reviewing material that would ordinarily have
been covered in the previous year. 45% reported teaching mostly or all new material.
Exhibit B11: Teachers reported how much time they spent reviewing the previous years
material or teaching new material during the 2021-22 school year
Reviewing Previous Year Material vs New Material
Percentage of Teachers
All or almost all review
6%
Mostly review
11%
About evenly split
38%
Mostly new
35%
Almost all or all new
10%
Source: JLARC staff analysis of survey data.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
Collection and submittal of student-level data—Student data-related
reports—Disaggregation of data by subgroups—Modification of statewide student data
systems.
RCW 28A.300.042
(1) Beginning with the 2017-18 school year, and using the phase-in provided in
subsection (2) of this section, the superintendent of public instruction must collect
and school districts must submit all student-level data using the United States
department of education 2007 race and ethnicity reporting guidelines, including the
sub-racial and sub-ethnic categories within those guidelines, with the following
modifications:
(a) Further disaggregation of the Black category to differentiate students of African
origin and students native to the United States with African ancestors;
(b) Further disaggregation of countries of origin for Asian students;
(c) Further disaggregation of the White category to include sub-ethnic categories for
Eastern European nationalities that have significant populations in Washington; and
(d) For students who report as multiracial, collection of their racial and ethnic
combination of categories.
(2) Beginning with the 2017-18 school year, school districts shall collect
student-level data as provided in subsection (1) of this section for all newly
enrolled students, including transfer students. When the students enroll in a
different school within the district, school districts shall resurvey the newly
enrolled students for whom sub-racial and sub-ethnic categories were not previously
collected. School districts may resurvey other students.
(3) All student data-related reports required of the superintendent of public
instruction in this title must be disaggregated by at least the following subgroups of
students: White, Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Pacific
Islander/Hawaiian Native, low income, transitional bilingual, migrant, special
education, and students covered by section 504 of the federal rehabilitation act of
1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794).
(4) All student data-related reports prepared by the superintendent of public
instruction regarding student suspensions and expulsions as required under this title
are subject to disaggregation by subgroups including:
(a) Gender;
(b) Foster care;
(c) Homeless, if known;
(d) School district;
(e) School;
(f) Grade level;
(g) Behavior infraction code, including:
(i) Bullying;
(ii) Tobacco;
(iii) Alcohol;
(iv) Illicit drug;
(v) Fighting without major injury;
(vi) Violence without major injury;
(vii) Violence with major injury;
(viii) Possession of a weapon; and
(ix) Other behavior resulting from a short-term or long-term suspension, expulsion,
or interim alternative education setting intervention;
(h) Intervention applied, including:
(i) Short-term suspension;
(ii) Long-term suspension;
(iii) Emergency expulsion;
(iv) Expulsion;
(v) Interim alternative education settings;
(vi) No intervention applied; and
(vii) Other intervention applied that is not described in this subsection (4)(h);
(i) Number of days a student is suspended or expelled, to be counted in half or full
days; and
(j) Any other categories added at a future date by the data governance group.
(5) All student data-related reports required of the superintendent of public
instruction regarding student suspensions and expulsions as required in RCW
28A.300.046 are subject to cross-tabulation at a minimum by the following:
(a) School and district;
(b) Race, low income, special education, transitional bilingual, migrant, foster
care, homeless, students covered by section 504 of the federal rehabilitation act of
1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794), and categories to be added in the future;
(c) Behavior infraction code; and
(d) Intervention applied.
(6) The K-12 data governance group shall develop the data protocols and guidance for
school districts in the collection of data as required under this section, and the
office of the superintendent of public instruction shall modify the statewide student
data system as needed. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall
also incorporate training for school staff on best practices for collection of data on
student race and ethnicity in other training or professional development related to
data provided by the office.
[ 2016 c 72 § 501; 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 § 307; 2009 c 468 § 4.]
NOTES:
Finding—Intent—2016 c 72: See note following RCW 28A.600.015.
Application—Enforcement of laws protecting health and safety—2013 2nd sp.s. c 18: See
note following RCW 28A.600.022.
Findings—Intent—2009 c 468: See note following RCW 28A.300.136.
Statewide K-12 School Closures
Proclamation 20-09
WHEREAS, on February 29, 2020, I issued Proclamation 20-05, proclaiming a State of
Emergency for all counties throughout the state of Washington as a result of the
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States and confirmed
person-to-person spread of COVID-19 in Washington State; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the continued worldwide spread of COVID-19, its significant
progression in Washington State, and the high risk it poses to our most vulnerable
populations, I have subsequently issued amendatory Proclamations 20-06, 20-07, and
20-08 exercising my emergency powers under RCW 43.06.220 by prohibiting certain
activities and waiving and suspending specified laws and regulations; and
WHEREAS, the spread of COVID-19 has been classified by the World Health Organization
as a pandemic that spreads easily from person to person and may result in serious
illness or death; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 disease has spread quickly across the state of Washington,
beyond the original community outbreaks in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties,
significantly increasing the threat of significant associated health risks statewide;
and
WHEREAS, confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now spread to 15 counties in Washington
State, which represents 75% of the State’s population, and the number of positive test
results have increased 29% in the last four days; and
WHEREAS, while we do not fully understand the role children have in transmitting the
virus, we do know they have a significant role in transmitting other respiratory
viruses; and
WHEREAS, to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in Washington State, it is necessary to
implement additional stringent measures to limit opportunities for disease
transmission statewide beyond King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties; and
WHEREAS, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and its progression in Washington State
continues to threaten the life and health of our people as well as the economy of
Washington State, and remains a public disaster affecting life, health, property or
the public peace; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) continues to maintain a
Public Health Incident Management Team in coordination with the State Emergency
Operations Center and other supporting state agencies to manage the public health
aspects of the incident; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Military Department Emergency Management Division,
through the State Emergency Operations Center, continues coordinating resources across
state government to support the DOH and local health officials in alleviating the
impacts to people, property, and infrastructure, and continues coordinating with the
DOH in assessing the impacts and long-term effects of the incident on Washington State
and its people.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jay Inslee, Governor of the state of Washington, as a result of
the above-noted situation, and under Chapters 38.08, 38.52 and 43.06 RCW, do hereby
proclaim that a state of emergency continues to exist in all counties of Washington
State, that Proclamations 20-05, 20-06, 20-07, and 20-08 remain in effect, and that
Proclamation 20-08, pertaining to activities by public school districts, charter
schools, and private schools, is amended to expand its application to all counties of
the state of Washington, and shall continue to remain in effect from 12:01 a.m. on
March 17, 2020, until 12:00 p.m. on April 24, 2020, unless extended beyond that date.
I again direct that the plans and procedures of the Washington State Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan be implemented throughout state government. State agencies
and departments are directed to continue utilizing state resources and doing
everything reasonably possible to support implementation of the Washington State
Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and to assist affected political subdivisions
in an effort to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
I continue to order into active state service the organized militia of Washington
State to include the National Guard and the State Guard, or such part thereof as may
be necessary in the opinion of The Adjutant General to address the circumstances
described above, to perform such duties as directed by competent authority of the
Washington State Military Department in addressing the outbreak. Additionally, I
continue to direct the DOH, the Washington State Military Department Emergency
Management Division, and other agencies to identify and provide appropriate personnel
for conducting necessary and ongoing incident related assessments.
Violators of this of this order may be subject to criminal penalties pursuant to RCW
43.06.220(5).
Signed and sealed with the official seal of the state of Washington on this 13th day
of March, A.D., Two Thousand and Twenty at Olympia, Washington.
Statewide K-12 School Closures
Proclamation 20-09.1
WHEREAS, on February 29, 2020, I issued Proclamation 20-05, proclaiming a State of
Emergency for all counties throughout the state of Washington as a result of the
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States and confirmed
person-to-person spread of COVID-19 in Washington State; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the continued worldwide spread of COVID-19, its significant
progression in Washington State, and the high risk it poses to our most vulnerable
populations, I have subsequently issued amendatory Proclamations 20-06, 20-07, 20-08,
20-09, 20-10, 20-11, 20-12, 20-13, 20-14, 20-15, 20-16, 20-17, 20-18, 20-19, 20-20,
20-21, 20-22, 20-23, 20-24, 20-25, 20-26, 20-27, 20-28, 20-29, 20-30, 20-31, 20-32,
20-33, 20-34, 20-35, 20-36, 20-37, 20-38, 20-39, 20-40, 20-41, and 20-42, exercising
my emergency powers under RCW 43.06.220 by prohibiting certain activities and waiving
and suspending specified laws and regulations; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 disease, caused by a virus that spreads easily from person to
person which may result in serious illness or death and has been classified by the
World Health Organization as a worldwide pandemic, has broadly spread throughout
Washington State, significantly increasing the threat of serious associated health
risks statewide; and
WHEREAS, as a result of increasing rates of COVID-19 related infections,
hospitalizations and death, I issued Proclamation 20-25.1 on April 2, 2020, extending
Proclamation 20-25 “Stay Home – Stay Healthy”, continuing the prohibitions on all
people in Washington State from leaving their homes or participating in social,
spiritual and recreational gatherings of any kind regardless of the number of
participants, and all non-essential businesses in Washington State from conducting
business, within the limitations therein, until May 4, 2020; and
WHEREAS, there are currently at least 7,984 cases of COVID-19 in Washington State
with 338 associated deaths, and models predict that many hospitals in Washington State
may reach capacity or become overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients within the next few
weeks unless we significantly slow its spread throughout the State; and
WHEREAS, to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in Washington State, protect our
people from its effects, and reduce the impact on our health care system, it is
necessary to continue stringent social distancing and sanitation requirements,
restrictions on gatherings and personal interactions, and closure of our K-12 schools
statewide; and
WHEREAS, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and its progression in Washington State
continues to threaten the life and health of our people as well as the economy of
Washington State, and remains a public disaster affecting life, health, property or
the public peace; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Health continues to maintain a Public Health Incident
Management Team in coordination with the State Emergency Operations Center and other
supporting state agencies to manage the public health aspects of the incident; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Military Department Emergency Management Division,
through the State Emergency Operations Center, continues coordinating resources across
state government to support the Department of Health and local health officials in
alleviating the impacts to people, property, and infrastructure, and continues
coordinating with the Department of Health in assessing the impacts and long-term
effects of the incident on Washington State and its people.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jay Inslee, Governor of the state of Washington, as a result of
the above-noted situation, and under Chapters 38.08, 38.52 and 43.06 RCW, do hereby
proclaim and order that a State of Emergency continues to exist in all counties of
Washington State, that Proclamation 20-05 and all amendments thereto remain in effect
as otherwise amended, and that, to help preserve and maintain life, health, property
or the public peace pursuant to RCW 43.06.220(1)(h), Proclamations 20-08 and 20-09
(Statewide K-12 School Closures) are amended to extend the prohibitions and expiration
dates therein, unless modified herein, until 11:59 p.m. on June 19, 2020. All other
provisions of Proclamations 20-08 and 20-09 shall remain in full force and effect.
Although all prohibitions in 20-08 and 20-09 are extended by this order, the following
prohibitions that apply in all counties of the state of Washington are repeated here
as a convenience to the reader:
Each public school district, charter school, and private school is prohibited from
conducting in-person educational, recreational, and other K-12 school programs using
their school facilities; and
The Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth, the Washington School
for the Deaf, and the Washington State School for the Blind are prohibited from
conducting student educational and outreach services.
I again direct that the plans and procedures of the Washington State Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan be implemented throughout State government. State agencies
and departments are directed to continue utilizing state resources and doing
everything reasonably possible to support implementation of the Washington State
Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and to assist affected political subdivisions
in an effort to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
I continue to order into active state service the organized militia of Washington
State to include the National Guard and the State Guard, or such part thereof as may
be necessary in the opinion of The Adjutant General to address the circumstances
described above, to perform such duties as directed by competent authority of the
Washington State Military Department in addressing the outbreak. Additionally, I
continue to direct the Department of Health, the Washington State Military Department
Emergency Management Division, and other agencies to identify and provide appropriate
personnel for conducting necessary and ongoing incident related assessments.
ADDITIONALLY, although all other provisions of Proclamations 20-08 and 20-09 are
extended by this order, the following provisions in 20-08 and 20-09 are repeated here
as a convenience to the reader:
Nothing in this order shall be construed as precluding a public school district,
charter school, or private school from using their school facilities to provide
childcare, nutrition programs, and other social services necessary to preserve and
maintain life, health, property or the public peace.
Further, nothing in this order shall be construed as precluding public school
districts, charter schools, or private schools from providing supports to students
necessary to meet course and credit requirements for high school graduation.
FURTHERMORE, if a public school or private school determines that the provision of
in-person educational services on the premises of a school facility is essential and
necessary under state or federal law, nothing in this order precludes the school from
providing the services on site. However, schools are prohibited from providing these
essential and necessary services unless state Department of Health guidelines for
social distancing and proper hygiene practices are followed at all times.
FURTHERMORE, I strongly encourage all K-12 schools subject to this extension of
Proclamations 20-08 and 20-09 to continue providing distance learning services through
June 19, 2020, to the extent reasonably possible.
ADDITIONALLY, consistent with receiving ongoing school apportionment funding, I
strongly encourage school districts, and the exclusive representatives of school
employees, to continue to work together to ensure distance learning opportunities for
all students during the duration of the school closure.
ADDITIONALLY, I encourage all K-12 schools subject to this extension of
Proclamations 20-08 and 20-09 to immediately plan for the potential extension of these
prohibitions into the summer and fall of 2020, should it be determined necessary to
help preserve and maintain life, health, property or the public peace in response to
the COVID-19 State of Emergency.
Violators of this order may be subject to criminal penalties pursuant to RCW
43.06.220(5).
Signed and sealed with the official seal of the state of Washington on this 6th day
of April, A.D., Two Thousand and Twenty at Olympia, Washington.
Phased Re-Opening of K-12 Schools
Proclamation 20-09.2
WHEREAS, on February 29, 2020, I issued Proclamation 20-05, proclaiming a State of
Emergency for all counties throughout the state of Washington as a result of the
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States and confirmed
person-to-person spread of COVID-19 in Washington State; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the continued worldwide spread of COVID-19, its significant
progression in Washington State, and the high risk it poses to our most vulnerable
populations, I have subsequently issued amendatory Proclamations 20-06 through 20-53
and 20-55 through 20-57, exercising my emergency powers under RCW 43.06.220 by
prohibiting certain activities and waiving and suspending specified laws and
regulations, including issuance of Proclamations 20-25, 20-25.1, 20-25.2 and 20-25.3
(Stay Home – Stay Healthy), and 20-25.4 (Safe Start WA), all of which limit people in
Washington State from leaving their homes except to participate in certain permitted
activities; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 disease, caused by a virus that spreads easily from person to
person which may result in serious illness or death and has been classified by the
World Health Organization as a worldwide pandemic, has broadly spread throughout
Washington State and remains a significant health risk to all of our people,
especially members of our most vulnerable populations; and
WHEREAS, during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, health professionals and
epidemiological modeling experts indicated that the spread of COVID-19, if left
unchecked, threatened to overwhelm portions of Washington’s public and private
health-care system;
WHEREAS, health professionals and epidemiological modeling experts indicated that
continued operation of schools could increase the spread of COVID-19 throughout
Washington and would increase the threat to our residents and our health system; and
WHEREAS, to counter the threat of COVID-19 spread posed by continued operation of
schools, in Proclamations 20-08, 20-09, and 20-09.1, I prohibited public school
districts, charter schools, and private schools from conducting in-person educational,
recreational, and other K-12 school programs using school facilities, and also
prohibited the Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth, the Washington
School for the Deaf, and the Washington State School for the Blind from conducting
student educational and outreach services; and
WHEREAS, schools are the foundation of Washington’s communities, and in addition to
traditional classroom education, schools provide a variety of vital services to
students, families and communities that play a vital role in students’ ability to
succeed, including academic supports, special education supports, health therapies,
mental/behavioral supports, access to nutritious food, and other community services;
and
WHEREAS, closing our schools has been stressful for all Washingtonians, and has been
particularly difficult for children with heightened social, physical, developmental,
or emotional needs, and those who rely on our schools to provide services, structure,
and positive social interactions; and
WHEREAS, although parents, students, school teachers, and administrators have made
tremendous efforts to continue to function through distance learning, and I recognize
their extraordinary resilience, strength, adaptability, and courage, all agree that
re-opening our schools and restarting face-to-face learning as soon as can be safely
accomplished will benefit our children, families and communities; and
WHEREAS, although the Department of Health indicates that on June 1, 2020, there were
21,977 cases of COVID-19 in Washington State with 1,124 associated deaths and as of
June 11, 2020, there currently are 24,652 cases of COVID-19 with 1,190 associated
deaths, demonstrating the ongoing, present threat of this lethal disease, health
professionals and epidemiological modeling experts predict that we have passed the
peak of the first wave of COVID-19 in the state and we have made adequate progress
against COVID-19 as a state to modify statewide closure of K-12 school facilities; and
WHEREAS, the nature of COVID-19 viral transmission, including both asymptomatic and
symptomatic spread as well as the relatively high infectious nature, suggests it is
appropriate to re-open schools only through a careful, phased, flexible, and
science-based approach; and
WHEREAS, the science suggests that by ensuring safe social distancing and hygiene
practices, and modifying procedures and facilities, many school functions can be
conducted with limited risk of exposure and spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, school programs, activities, and services offered during the summer
generally involve fewer students than school-year programs, activities, and services,
and accordingly are well-suited to operate with the modified procedures and facilities
necessary for a safe opening; and
WHEREAS, all schools must engage in planning for fall programs, activities, and
services, and they must do so well in advance of the fall; and
WHEREAS, schools will continue to need to prepare to be flexible to pivot in whole or
in part to distance learning if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in their county or
within their school community and to follow guidance from the Department of Health,
the Department of Labor and Industries, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction
to help mitigate risk to students, teachers, and the community; and
WHEREAS, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and its progression in Washington State
continue to threaten the life and health of our people as well as the economy of
Washington State, and remain a public disaster affecting life, health, property or the
public peace; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Department of Health continues to maintain a Public
Health Incident Management Team in coordination with the State Emergency Operations
Center and other supporting state agencies to manage the public health aspects of the
incident; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Military Department Emergency Management Division,
through the State Emergency Operations Center, continues coordinating resources across
state government to support the Department of Health and local health officials in
alleviating the impacts to people, property, and infrastructure, and continues
coordinating with the Department of Health in assessing the impacts and long-term
effects of the incident on Washington State and its people; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jay Inslee, Governor of the state of Washington, as a result of
the above-noted situation, and under Chapters 38.08, 38.52 and 43.06 RCW, do hereby
proclaim and order that a State of Emergency continues to exist in all counties of
Washington State, that Proclamation 20-05 and all amendments thereto remain in effect
as otherwise amended, and that, to help preserve and maintain life, health, property
or the public peace pursuant to RCW 43.06.220(1)(h), Proclamations 20-08, 20-09, and
20-09.1 are amended to extend all of the prohibitions and each expiration date therein
until the state of emergency, issued on February 29, 2020, pursuant to Proclamation
20-05, is rescinded, except as amended to allow re-opening as provided in this order
and subject to the requirements in the K-12 Schools Summer 2020 Guidance document
found here and the Re-opening K-12 Fall 2020-2021 Guidance document found here.
FURTHERMORE, until there is an effective vaccine, effective treatment or herd
immunity, it is crucial, and therefore ordered, that schools implement and require all
personal protective behaviors set forth in the K-12 Summer 2020 Services During the
COVID-19 Outbreak and the COVID-19 School Worksite K-12 Fall 2020 Services guidance
documents.
I again direct that the plans and procedures of the Washington State Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan be implemented throughout state government. State agencies
and departments are directed to continue utilizing state resources and doing
everything reasonably possible to support implementation of the Washington State
Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and to assist affected political subdivisions
in an effort to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
I continue to order into active state service the organized militia of Washington
State to include the National Guard and the State Guard, or such part thereof as may
be necessary in the opinion of The Adjutant General to address the circumstances
described above, to perform such duties as directed by competent authority of the
Washington State Military Department in addressing the outbreak. Additionally, I
continue to direct the Department of Health, the Washington State Military Department
Emergency Management Division, and other agencies to identify and provide appropriate
personnel for conducting necessary and ongoing incident related assessments.
Violators of this order may be subject to criminal penalties pursuant to RCW
43.06.220(5).
This order goes into effect on June 20, 2020, and will remain in effect until the
state of emergency, issued on February 29, 2020, pursuant to Proclamation 20-05, is
rescinded, or until this order is amended or rescinded, whichever occurs first.
Signed and sealed with the official seal of the state of Washington on this 11th day
of June, A.D., Two Thousand and Twenty at Olympia, Washington.
Children and Youth Mental Health Crisis
Proclamation 21-05.1
WHEREAS, on February 29, 2020, I proclaimed a State of Emergency for all counties
throughout Washington State as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
outbreak in the United States and confirmed person-to-person spread of COVID-19 in
Washington State as a result of the continued worldwide spread of COVID-19, its
significant progression in Washington State, and the high risk it poses to our most
vulnerable populations; and
WHEREAS, I issued many amendatory proclamations, exercising my emergency powers under
RCW 43.06.220 by prohibiting certain activities and waiving and suspending specified
laws and regulations, including prohibiting most schools from conducting in-person
educational, recreational, and other K-12 school programs using school facilities, as
well as certain student educational and outreach services; and
WHEREAS, closing school facilities contributed to Washington’s efforts to minimize
the spread and impact of COVID-19, but the closure of schools has also been stressful
for many Washingtonians, particularly for many children and youth; and for many
Washington children, it is feared that the lack of in-person learning and other
school-based supports may result in gaps in students’ learning and development that
may last a lifetime; and
WHEREAS, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted
that schools provide numerous benefits beyond education, including school meal
programs and social, physical, behavioral, and mental health services, and because of
their critical role for all children and the disproportionate impact that school
closures can have on those with low incomes, K-12 schools should be the last settings
to close after all other COVID-19 mitigation measures have been employed and the first
to reopen when they can do so safely; and
WHEREAS, hospitals and health professionals who specialize in the treatment of
children indicate that many of Washington’s children and youth are experiencing a
significant mental and behavioral health crisis as a result of the ongoing pandemic,
which has been exacerbated by continued isolation, difficulty engaging with virtual
learning, and lack of regular in-person interaction with educators, school personnel,
mentors and peers; and
WHEREAS, early school-age children are at a critical juncture for social and
emotional learning, such as formation of positive relationships, peer interaction,
self-awareness and self-management, development of social skills, and decision-making,
and these domains are essential for school success but are not readily learned in the
absence of in-person interaction; and
WHEREAS, pediatric physicians have recently observed the following:
Since the physical closure of schools, pediatricians are seeing a significant
increase in youth with eating disorders, anxiety, mood disorders, and depression
with suicidal thoughts or self-harm behaviors; and
Most families experience long wait times and limited access to mental health
services; and
LGBTQ2+ youth have specific challenges navigating limited social support when
affirmation and support is particularly important, resulting in sleep disturbances,
decreased physical activity leading to unhealthy weight gain, and abuse of
substances; and
A significant number of previously stable youth have experienced now-onset or
exacerbated eating disorders, depression, or anxiety, with some requiring increased
use of medications, hospitalization, or other higher levels of care; and
Children are experiencing a significant sense of isolation and loss, which is
negatively impacting their learning and grades; and
Although we have, for the time being, averted the crisis of overwhelming hospital
capacity related to COVID-19 cases, we are in the midst of another crisis related to
the mental health of many of our children; and
WHEREAS, at nearly every data point, Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane has
reported a substantial increase in pediatric patients with behavioral health diagnoses
as a primary concern during COVID-19, despite the general tendency to avoid health
care settings to avoid exposure to COVID-19, including the following:
Acute care admissions to its Inpatient Adolescent Psychiatric Unit increased 73%
in 2020 as compared to 2019, and
Acute care admissions to its General Pediatric Floor for behavioral health issues
increased 68% in 2020 compared to 2019; and
WHEREAS, Seattle Children’s Hospital has reported that:
The Psychiatric Unit is currently the most over-capacity/over-stressed part of the
hospital; and
Unlike before the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now normal for 1 to 2 children to be
admitted every night at Seattle Children’s for attempted suicide; and
Parent calls seeking referrals to outpatient mental health providers have
significantly increased in 2020 compared to 2019; and
WHEREAS, Swedish Medical Center has reported that, despite a lack of designated
pediatric inpatient psychiatry beds:
The percentage of pediatric inpatient admissions in its hospital for behavioral
health reasons and/or suicide attempt has dramatically increased from 7.5% in 2018,
6.2% in 2019, 10.8% in 2020, to 24.5% in the first 2 months of 2021; and
During COVID-19, pediatric hospital physicians are seeing many more children and
adolescents with new-onset depression and anxiety, initial suicide attempts, and
new-onset need for behavioral health treatment; and
WHEREAS, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital has reported:
The 14-day medical admission rate for mental health reasons increased
approximately 67% from March 2020 to February 2021; and
60% of patients admitted to medical wards for mental health reasons are age 15-18
and 40% of these patients are age 14 and younger; and
WHEREAS, University of Washington Medicine reports that for patients under the age of
27, depression and anxiety are now the two most common diagnoses, and, when compared
against 2019 data, it has seen 1,723 more patients with depression and 2,968 more
patients with anxiety in 2021; and
WHEREAS, recent data from the CDC also shows that the proportion of emergency
department visits related to mental health crises has increased for young children and
adolescents since the pandemic started, reaching levels in late-March through October
2020 substantially higher than during the same period in 2019; and in Washington
State, preliminary data suggest the relative reported emergency department visit count
for suicidal ideation, suspected suicide attempt, and psychological distress are
higher in the first few weeks of 2021 than the rates in corresponding weeks of 2019
and 2020 and show an increase from the end of 2020; and
WHEREAS, the children and adolescents presenting in mental health crises to hospitals
or emergency rooms are the most severe cases and represent just a small portion of the
entire population of youth in Washington who are suffering from increased mental and
behavioral health needs, educational setbacks, and developmental concerns; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction reports that student
absences increased by 60% for middle school students in January 2021 compared to
January 2020. Across all grades, for students receiving English learner services and
students whose families are experiencing poverty, absences doubled in that same
timeframe. In addition, 25% of all high school students did not receive credit in at
least one course this school year. This is a 42% increase from the 2019-2020 school
year. The increase in not receiving credit in courses is most significant for students
experiencing poverty, and disproportionately impact students who are American
Indian/Alaskan Native, and students who are Latino; and
WHEREAS, while school-age child care and youth development programs have been able to
provide basic supports to some children, many programs and facilities that offer vital
support to children and youth facing physical, mental, or socio-economic crises have
been and remain unavailable due to restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19
pandemic; and
WHEREAS, the multiple, overlapping effects on our children of continuing school
facility closures on our children and adolescents constitutes an emergency related to
and amplified by, but distinct from, the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, epidemiologists and infection prevention physicians, including those
associated with the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the
Washington Department of Health, believe that each region of our state has made
adequate progress to reduce community levels of COVID-19 such that, by implementing
multi-layered infection prevention protocols, K-12 school facilities can safely reopen
for, at a minimum, hybrid learning; and
WHEREAS, on-campus, in-person instruction can be done safely, as evidenced by the
demonstrated success of over 1,400 Washington schools that have experienced minimal
in-school transmission; and
WHEREAS, on March 19, 2021, the CDC issued updated K-12 education guidance revising
physical distancing recommendations to reflect at least 3 feet between students in
classrooms, and providing clearer guidance when a greater distance, such as 6 feet, is
recommended; and
WHEREAS, on March 25, 2021, the Washington Department of Health issued updated K-12
guidance that aligns with CDC’s physical distancing recommendations and the science on
COVID-19 transmission in K-12 schools; and
WHEREAS, on March 25, 2021, the Department of Labor and Industries’ updated its
health and worker safety protocols and measures, which must be followed to protect
staff, students, and families; and
WHEREAS, increasing the option to return to school facilities for all K-12 students
will help to prevent or curtail mental and behavioral health issues for many students
by reducing isolation and improving in-person access to educators, school personnel,
mentors and peers, but it is not a panacea for the long-standing need for accessible
behavioral health services and supports for our children and youth. It is only a part
of the solution to addressing mental and behavioral health issues for children and
youth, many of whom will also need greater access to and availability of behavioral
health services and supports, in and outside of schools, in order to forestall
lifelong impacts from this pandemic; and
WHEREAS, teachers have been creative and have worked very diligently to provide
remote learning, and some students and families have benefited from remote learning.
But student/parental choice with regard to in-person learning must be respected during
the ongoing pandemic, and remote-learning options must be preserved to serve those
students; and
WHEREAS, the lack of statewide in-person K-12 schooling affects the life and health
of our people as well as the economy of Washington State, and remains a public
disorder or disaster affecting life, health, property or the public peace; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Military Department Emergency Management Division,
through the State Emergency Operations Center, continues coordinating resources across
state government to alleviate the impacts to people, property, and infrastructure from
the COVID-19 emergency and the new emergency developing from the lack of statewide
in-person K-12 schooling; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jay Inslee, Governor of the state of Washington, as a result of
the above-noted situation, and under Chapters 38.08, 38.52 and 43.06 RCW, do hereby
proclaim and order that a State of Emergency exists in all counties of Washington
State due to the current status of the mental and behavioral health of many of
Washington’s children and youth, and direct the plans and procedures of the Washington
State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan be implemented. State agencies and
departments are directed to utilize state resources and to do everything reasonably
possible to assist affected political subdivisions in an effort to respond to and
recover from this mental health crisis.
As a result of this event, I also hereby order into active state service the
organized militia of Washington State to include the National Guard and the State
Guard, or such part thereof as may be necessary in the opinion of The Adjutant General
to address the circumstances described above, to perform such duties as directed by
competent authority of the Washington State Military Department in addressing the
crisis. Additionally, I direct the Washington State Department of Health, the
Washington State Military Department Emergency Management Division, and other agencies
to identify and provide appropriate personnel for conducting necessary and ongoing
incident related assessments.
FURTHERMORE, based on the above situation and under the provisions of RCW
43.06.220(1)(h) to help preserve and maintain life, health, property or the public
peace, I hereby prohibit all public school districts, including charter schools, in
the state of Washington from failing to offer all K-12 students the opportunity to
engage in both remote/on-line instruction and on-campus/in-person instruction,
otherwise known as a hybrid model of K-12 instruction, and I also hereby prohibit all
public school districts, including charter schools, in the state of Washington from
offering or continuing to offer a remote/online instruction option without also
offering an on-campus/in-person instruction option that is consistent with Department
of Health guidance, found here, and the Department of Labor and Industries’
requirements for employee safety as dictated by the School Employer Health and Safety
Requirements found here, and as further provided below:
By April 5, 2021, all elementary grade students (K-5 or K-6, depending on the
district) must be provided with an opportunity to engage in a hybrid model of
instruction; and
By April 19, 2021, all remaining K-12 students must be provided with an
opportunity to engage in a hybrid model of instruction. School districts may
stagger/phase-in grades to achieve this requirement by April 19, 2021; and
By April 19, 2021, all school districts must offer at least 30% of average weekly
instructional hours as on-campus, in-person instruction for all K-12 students who
wish to attend in-person.
In addition:
All school districts are permitted, but not required, to
follow the CDC’s guidance for reopening K-12 schools, found here, which provide, in
part, that it is generally safe to reduce distance between students in the classroom
from 6 feet to 3 feet. School districts are permitted, but not required, to follow
the CDC’s guidance immediately; and
Under no circumstances may a student be offered less than
2 days (which may be partial days) of on-campus, in-person instruction per week; and
All school districts must continue to work to exceed the
30% minimum instructional hours; and
Subject to the physical distancing parameters implemented
by the school district, all school districts must reach the school’s maximum
capacity and maximum frequency of on-campus, in-person instruction that the school
can provide, when all health and safety recommendations and requirements are
applied, as soon as possible; and
If a school district currently provides or proposes to
adopt a hybrid instruction model that deviates from the parameters specified above,
the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction may approve the schedule of any
such school district operating unique hybrid learning models that meets the intent
of the prohibitions in this order.
FURTHERMORE, I also hereby direct our Health Care Authority and Department of Health
to immediately begin work on recommendations on how to support the behavioral health
needs of our children and youth over the next 6 to 12 months and to address and triage
the full spectrum of rising pediatric behavioral health needs.
Violators of this order may be subject to criminal penalties pursuant to RCW
43.06.220(5).
This order goes into effect immediately and will remain in effect until the end of
this mental health emergency or until rescinded.
Signed and sealed with the official seal of the state of Washington on this 26th day
of March, A.D., Two Thousand and Twenty-One at Olympia, Washington.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Recommendations & Responses
Legislative Auditor Recommendations
The Legislative Auditor makes two recommendations regarding data
collection and monitoring
Recommendation #1: OSPI should finish collecting more detailed race and ethnicity
data for all students, in accordance with 2016 state legislation
RCW 28A.300.042 requires OSPI to collect student race and ethnicity data that is more
detailed than federal law requires.
OSPI should use a quality control system to ensure accurate and complete race and
ethnicity data is collected. The collected data should be validated for accuracy,
consistency, and comparability, and be delivered transparently to inform timely
policymaking.
As directed by RCW 28A.300.042(6), OSPI shall provide training to school staff on
best practices in collecting student race and ethnicity data.
Recommendation #2: OSPI should establish a process to monitor school districts’
implementation of their Academic and Student Well-being Recovery Plans, in accordance
with 2021 state legislation
The 2021 Legislature (ESHB 1368) directed schools to report their progress
implementing their Academic and Student Well-being Recovery Plans to OSPI. As it
establishes a process to monitor districts’ implementation, OSPI should consider:
Collecting data to determine how much districts are spending on specific
interventions to help students recover academically.
Assisting districts in the three-phase continuous improvement process, involving
planning, data collection, analysis, progress monitoring, strategy, and
implementation, that OSPI described in its state plan for American Rescue Plan
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds submitted to the US
Department of Education.
Establishing systems to evaluate the impacts of school districts’ ESSER spending,
including oversight, monitoring, performance measurement, or outcome evaluation of
districts’ ESSER-funded investments to ensure that funds are achieving districts’
goals.
Ensuring that district interventions address the disproportionate impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic on underserved students, including students from racial and ethnic
groups.
OSPI should report to the Legislature on districts’ progress implementing their
plans.
Legislation Required:
None
Fiscal Impact:
None
Implementation Date:
June 2023 for initial plan, and ongoing to monitor
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Recommendations & Responses
OSPI Response
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Recommendations & Responses
OFM Response
The Office of Financial Management (OFM) was given an opportunity to comment on this
report. OFM responded that it does not have any comments.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Recommendations & Responses
Legislative Auditor's Response to Agency Comments
OSPI partially concurs with our recommendation to develop a process to monitor school
districts’ implementation of Academic and Student Well-being Recovery Plans.
Although OSPI has developed systems to monitor expenditures and outcomes, it has not
established a process for districts to report their progress implementing these plans
or evaluate outcomes. Its response suggests that it will act if required by the US
Department of Education, despite 2021 legislative direction to identify how schools
will report progress.
The lack of information from districts about their implementation of recovery plans
limits OSPI’s ability to help them adapt learning recovery strategies and
interventions based on district results, as anticipated in OSPI’s plan for ESSER
funding.
OSPI should implement the recommendation to fulfill legislative direction. Doing so
will also position it to respond to expected federal requirements for additional
information about interventions for students disproportionately impacted by the
pandemic.
Eric Thomas Legislative Auditor
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
Recommendations & Responses
Current Recommendation Status
JLARC staff follow up on the status of Legislative Auditor recommendations to
agencies and the Legislature for four years. The most recent responses from agencies
and status of the recommendations in this report can be viewed on our Legislative Auditor Recommendations page.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
More About This Review
Audit Authority
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) works to make state
government operations more efficient and effective. The Committee is comprised of an
equal number of House members and Senators, Democrats and Republicans.
JLARC's nonpartisan staff auditors, under the direction of the Legislative Auditor,
conduct performance audits, program evaluations, sunset reviews, and other analyses
assigned by the Legislature and the Committee.
The statutory authority for JLARC, established in Chapter 44.28 RCW,
requires the Legislative Auditor to ensure that JLARC studies are conducted in
accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards, as applicable to the
scope of the audit. This study was conducted in accordance with those applicable
standards. Those standards require auditors to plan and perform audits to obtain
sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for findings and
conclusions based on the audit objectives. The evidence obtained for this JLARC report
provides a reasonable basis for the enclosed findings and conclusions, and any
exceptions to the application of audit standards have been explicitly disclosed in the
body of this report.
Committee Action to Distribute Report
On May 10, 2023 this report was approved for distribution by the Joint Legislative
Audit and Review Committee. Action to distribute this report does not imply the
Committee agrees or disagrees with Legislative Auditor recommendations.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
More About This Review
Study Questions
Click image to view PDF of proposed study questions.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
May 2023
More About This Review
Methodology
The methodology JLARC staff use when conducting analyses is tailored to the scope of
each study, but generally includes the following:
Interviews with stakeholders, agency representatives, and other
relevant organizations or individuals.
Site visits to entities that are under review.
Document reviews, including applicable laws and regulations,
agency policies and procedures pertaining to study objectives, and published
reports, audits or studies on relevant topics.
Data analysis, which may include data collected by agencies
and/or data compiled by JLARC staff. Data collection sometimes involves surveys or
focus groups.
Consultation with experts when warranted. JLARC staff consult
with technical experts when necessary to plan our work, to obtain specialized
analysis from experts in the field, and to verify results.
The methods used in this study were conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted
Government Auditing Standards.
More details about specific methods related to individual study objectives are
described in the body of the report under the report details tab or in technical
appendices.
23-03 Final Report: Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Education During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
