Transcripts For CSPAN The Communicators Rural Education Online Learning 20240712

See more on demand at cspan. Org or listen on the cspan radio app. Your place for an unfiltered view of politics. Joining us this week on the communicators is alan pratt, he is the executive director of the National Rural Education Association and he joins us from chattanooga, tennessee. What is that association and what do you do . Our association is the voice of rural schools and Rural Communities across the country. Thank you for the invite to be on the show and really highlight what we do as an organization. One of the things we do is we advocate for all areas, all issues that involve a rural schools and communities and right now we are looking at a Digital Divide and we are looking at the reopening of schools in a very different way. That is what i a lot of our work has been focused on over the last five months. When you look at online availability for education, where do you see the deficits . I think home access is the biggest deficit and in rural, remote areas or areas outside of urban or suburban areas, we have connectivity issues obviously with cell phone or a wire access as well. We also have affordability issues and some of our Rural Communities so i think you are looking at the lack of access and than affordability as a service. How many students are we talking about . Overall, rural represents about 9. 7 million students, but you are looking probably anywhere he good estimate from 1. 42. 8 million and that is an estimate and those numbers vary by different organizations and how they are recording. I think the sec reports about 2. 6 million. 2,000,0003,000,000 students. What kind of policies are you advocating for . Of anything to do with connectivity issues and the flexibility of the rate funding across the board to allowing home access or home subsidies to allow for affordability or connection issues. Anything to do with education funding. Our work has been around cares act funding and also with we hope the next round of funding that will come through either d. C. , the senate, and the house can get together and work something out. Allison klein into this conversation, she is with the publication Education Week where she covers tech and education, ms. Klein, your turn. Yes, thank you for joining us today. What kind of solutions have rural schools found in the Broadband Challenge and how well are they working . We have all seen stories about how kids might be gathered around a bus that has wifi or in the parking lot of a local fast food restaurant. Is that something that your districts are experimenting with . That is a great point, i think the parking lot of the school or parking lot of a library or a restaurant is one of the areas how schools are helping and how communitys are helping. We had some flexibility that allowed that, even if the building was closed that we could allow access. There is other Innovative Solutions that communities are coming up with, one in virginia is the wireless on wheels in Louisa County and they are creating i think they have 22 wireless hotspots for students to connect up to five devices. I think there has been innovation across the board on how they send out their feeding program, but also how they are connecting students with usb or hotspots, they are finding a way to make it work. I hear that, theres been talk about problems for students and accessing internet, that is actually a problem for a lot of teachers, too, so how are rural districts coping with that . A lot of district we talk to, they are using a lot of their cares act money to provide that service for teachers that are going to be instructing at home in a virtual setting, so they are actually using money to help pay for services either by hotspots, or by wired fixed broadband connectivity. Many urban and large suburban district have had a tough time coming up with curriculum for students. It is all online and they have to do it quickly over the summer, how are rural districts which typically have fewer resources handling that challenge . If anyone says education cannot shift rapidly, we saw that with the pandemic and i think it has forced districts to look at their whole curriculum and education system. I think a lot of our state governments and departments have a curriculum or set up standards that a school must to educatehe Public Schools, a lot of districts are shifting to a learning Management System that is a hybrid they can do in person or video instruction either asynchronously or synchronously. Using a lot of the same content they use prior, obviously there is an adjustment and a professional develop an aspect on training teachers had to be successful in the virtual classroom. A lot of them are either buying some kind of frontloaded or preloaded that meet the state standards by a company or they are uploading straight to google classroom or the use of zoom and some learning management platforms theyre using such as canvas or blackboard. It is a wide variety of what is going on. Before we go any further, what is your background in education . Ive been in education for when he five years and was the former principal, teacher, i work for the state to permit here in tennessee and then with the National Rural Education Association for the past four years. University ofof tennessee, this will. I do graduate teaching there as well, running as well as running the organization. Has there been thought of bringing children in in a socially distance way into the classroom and having the teacher remote especially for students who have trouble with connectivity . You are seeing all different types of hybrid or phase in approaches. We have seen here in chattanooga and some of our outlying districts that the teacher has been in contact with someone, so they are quarantined for 14 days and the teacher is zooming into the classroom where students are distancing and running the classroom. There is a teacher assistant or an other employee from the system in the room to monitor as that goes on. We see that on the students staying home, we also see the teachers staying home. I think both have been used effectively. And they have been successful . Yeah, we are working through it. I think tennessee may have one of the first systems to start back on july 22 and they have used a phase in or a hybrid 25 attendance and they are working into 100 right now. I think those things are going on as we speak excuse me one second. And i think that is the process that we are working through. I also look at it as a sense of you look at the more rural remote, i think you are seeing a push to be facetoface in more of a traditional fiveday as more than urban or suburban area. I think those are the aspects that are unique and districts are dealing with this in a different way. Allison klein. Sure, there has been worried about a Teacher Shortage because many educators are having concerns that returning to the classroom could jeopardize their health. Teachers might be older or have a preexisting condition, is that something rural districts are grappling with . Yeah, before the pandemic we were always pushing for a rural Teacher Shortage and as far as to help alleviate that it rural Teacher Shortage. We have actually partnered with a collaborative called rural schools collaborative to push it is on facebook and social media and we are highlighting what it is like and what it means to be a rural teacher. Since the pandemic we have highlighted stories of teachers interacting or being proactive to their students. You are correct, we have a lot of teachers that are choosing to opt out in a sense of they wants to be virtual and stayathome simply because they may have Underlying Health conditions that covid may have an impact on their lives. And what kind of professional develop you have referenced districtt are school offering for teachers who may never have taught in a virtual setting before . The ramp up the summer has digitaljust how to be a literacy number one, actual use of the device and platform, but also how to be an instructor and a facilitator on an online virtual environment which for many cases has been a total shift. It has been a fivemonth speed course on how to develop and be innovative and teach students in this platform. The one thing that is amazing, Public School teachers are innovative, successful, hardworking, and they are service above self. Today put the time and working to do what they need to do to help students. Just one more question, how are School District handling it when a teacher or student tests positive for the buyers . Are they closing schools, do they do Contact Tracing . Thats a great question and they are using the local Health Departments to help with the process and they are looking at numbers or percentages and for the most cases say here in tennessee and other districts across the united states, if it is above 20 at a school, they will probably shut the school down for a time period for quarantine. If it is class by class under 20 , they are going to do probably some quarantines of those classrooms and of those teachers, but they will not shut the whole entire system down. They may shut the school down. You are right, it is a mitigation plan and i think that has been the toughest part for our superintendents and our principles as they move through this. Pratt, this is a Public School problem, not a private School Problem . We deal with Public Schools, so i am assuming private schools have the same issues, we do not currently have members that are private schools to play because we are a majority i was a 99 of our districts are Public School. Have you put a dollar figure on what you would like to see when it comes to connectivity . We are pushing, i know the heroes act that came out of the house was i think 4 billion for the sec to create flex ability for home subsidies and connectivity, i think that is we are pushing along the same lines as everyone else for this help and connectivity. We also believe it is going to take a federal, state, regional, and local help to solve this. Is going toeve this phase into what we look at from the 20s and 30s on electricity and electrical coops and getting electricity to all parts of rural america. I think the same approach is going to be needed to connect all of our schools and homes in rural america. State,his is a federal, local funding issue . I think it is acrosstheboard. Byhas got to be driven federal dollars and to incentivize this movement to last mile orthe allow the connectivity to reach all areas of the country. It just makes us a stronger country when we are all connected and i think that is the best part of, if you are looking for a bright spot, this is has really highlighted the need for connectivity issues to be resolved. I think coming out of this it is going to really change the dynamics of a lot of Rural Communities in a positive if we can get the connectivity issue resolved. Be in just happen to chattanooga, but chattanooga has been a leader when it comes to connectivity, hasnt it . Electric power board in downtown chattanooga i think were one of the first cities in america to be a gig city and they are spreading the connection to a lot of rural cooperatives, electrical cooperatives. I think that has been a positive, i know the little munity outlet, i live in they are not providing this Broadband Internet connectivity through our region. A lot of that comes from usda federal dollars and grants, but also local money and state money. Federal state and local effort, i think all of those are in play when you look at some of these places being connected. The usda announced today 10 million to tennessee for Rural Connectivity came out this morning. It is correct spreading across the state. Joining us from north dakota he is thearruthers, executive Director Director of the Broadband Association of north dakota. Toth dakota, when it comes connectivity has been a success story, is that correct . It really has been and thank you, it is a pleasure joining you. North dakota which is almost overwhelmingly by locally owned providers, there are some 96 of the state. What we have here north dakota is a situation where those Companies Invest in themselves, they invest in their community, and the infrastructure, and the customers that those locally owned companies serve. In fact, mr. Pratt just mentioned chattanooga being a gate gig community, north dakota has 300 rural gig communities. You have emphasized the locally owned aspect of these private companies, is that correct . What is the importance of that . Arees, really, what they are the telephone cooperatives in a majority of cases and familyowned companies in a few small commercial companies, 16 in all. Into beingvolved stateoftheart broadband providers. Nobody is interested in voice right now, voice is just one of the applications that we use with broadband. These companies have evolved to meet the needs of the people that they serve. Your what percentage of 300 Rural Communities in north dakota are online at this point . Virtually everyone has access to the service. When the pandemic hit in march and we were faced with connecting students in homes that did not have broadband service, we went to the state of north dakota, we found 116,000 students in the state of north dakota, 72,000 of them were in those areas served by the locally owned providers. And so has the state chipped in money, and if so, how much . The state has not chipped in money, they provided leadership in a number of other ways, north dakota is unique. I know some states have used tears money for it, when this began in march, although the tod providers signed on chairman keeping americans connected pledge. When we did that we offered place to offer free service to students among other things through june 30, we fulfill that pledge. Now that we enter in the fall, there are a variety of situations every community, every School District is unique. Right now, the state of north dakota is not committed, there are several federal initiatives there have been and we have received no dollars from the state of north dakota. Have Allison Klein of Education Week with us as well, ms. Klein, any questions . Now, i think you covered everything really well. David of the Broadband Association of north dakota, thank you for being with us. My pleasure. Alan pratt, what did you hear from him . I will say all of that echo his point that they are ahead of the game across their whole state and across the country. We interviewed several superintendents in north dakota and also did a couple podcasts about to the connectivity as of as march and april rolled in. Dr. Stephen johnson from Public Schools was a guest and he mentioned at the time there were they were 96 covered during that time period and if you look at the numbers, they were number one in the country on everyone being connected. We were really excited and hope other states Pay Attention and do the same work as dakota north dakota. Allison klein. State has pressured on governments because of the economic downturn, howard they responding to that . That is a great question, when you look at the recession of 2008 and 2009, the first year i was a principal at the theyhool systems and knew the worse was going to come. I think a lot of district are taking the money that is coming from the federal and state dollars and using them wisely, but they know year to end your three are going to be big impact years and are going to be tight on the budget locally, but also at the state level. That is a big concern. You mentionedcts are still operating with in Person Instruction and we all know that rural districts have transportation challenges. Are they making sure to how are they making sure that students are appropriately socially distanced . Two i guess repeat the question as to how they are making sure all the rural areas are connected or instructing going on in those rural remote areas of the regions or schools . Now, i was asking about like bussing or transportation if are they making sure that they are transporting kids to school, if they are doing in Person Instruction that buses do not become a super spreader. That is a great point, i think you are looking at the phase in, a lot of those face to face School District did a 25 phase into 50 and now some are in week four and week five at 100 . They are cohoarding students together to make sure they are riding a bus that they are writing with family members but also so they can social distance on the bus. A lot bus drivers and or School Personnel are on the bus and are taking temperatures before students actually board the bus and they are also taking temperatures when students go in the building. Those are the aspects and they are running more routes in a sense of sometimes doubling up those routes. They are trying to keep it up where it is the same flow so they can keep their dollars on what they are spending on their transportation budget to be the same for this year and as they move into next year. I think the biggest part is the hybrid phase and model is what a lot of districts are doing. Alan pratt have you looked at the quality of Online Education and compared it to in class . To whatnk it goes back allison asked about training teachers and i think the quality comes down to the virtual classroom, it comes down to the set up of how we trained teachers, how creative and how good a teacher really is to keep the students engaged. If youre looking at an asynchronous set up where students are learning in different times, different spaces and may be doing office call ins with their teachers, that is a different aspect. I think it comes down to what programs you are using, what platform to connect with students, but walls also what they are doing as they move forward. Go ahead, allison. The head of the superintendent organization told me district leaders are having to make decisions about health care and disease spread. Some states have not put out doh guidance, im wondering, district leaders like that flexibly or do they feel like theres too much pressure on assuming there are parents who want to see in Person Instruction and others who want to see online instruction. Point,uld reiterate that the superintendents are very cautious and frustrated and worried about so much of the Decision Making being placed on local leadership or local control. We understand that is in a porton part of public education, but you need guidance and you need help from the state level and the federal level. When they are preparing their plans or setting up reopening however it may be, things change so rapidly, they change outwardly from the cdc or the local health or state health officials. That is difficult, but local control is being pushed to the forefront during this time period. Theow do you think coronavirus in this period we are going through will change education over the long term . What do you think what will he still retained when this crisis is over . You look at it in the sense of, what are the positives that can come out of this as we move back to a normal or new normal. I think we are learning now more than ever before that we do not have to be in school five days a week, it is good to be there, but i think there are programs or plants that can be very flexible. I think each region, each area should be different and should meet the needs of their community and students. I think that flex ability is going to be important. I really believe technology this has been a boon for the virtual or hybrid approach and i think that will not leave. I hope it doesnt, because it is such a great way to connect with our students, but also connect them with parts of the country they are not familiar with if they are in a rural remote area. I think that is the positives. I think superintendents and communities feel like we are going to go back precovid to a five day week and it is going to be exactly the same, i do not think that is the case. I think we will never be back to that at least for right now. Alan pratt, what have you done to address security and privacy issues . Districts our school have really stepped up their approach on remote learning, security, but also with their Cloud Service and or their private network or personalize networks they are using with their districts. It comes into play when you look at wifi buses when schools are taking buses and putting wifi enabled equipment on them so communities can be connected. I think all superintendents are talking about health care, i. T. Security, areas where they have not been before, so i think its a learning process for them as they move forward. Alyson klein, time for one more question. Alyson sure. I have heard from some teachers that they are worried about students cheating in their classes since they are all online. Its really easy to look things up. Is that something you are hearing from educators in rural areas as well . What are they doing about it . Allen its one of those kind of side effects or areas that kind of come out of this virtual, online learning. My daughter, we went to remote learning, she is in Nursing School locally. On testing date, you had to use your phone as a video, and the computer as well, so you had two videos to watch that and monitor. I think districts are using those unique approaches. If we have a device like a phone, laptop, or tablet, they are using both to monitor that. I think that is kind of what they are trying to do at this point. Its a good point. Because there are definitely going to be creative ways to find the answer. Alyson got you. Yeah. Its going to be a little difficult for vocational ed to be difficult, isnt it . Virtual isnt it . Such as your daughter being a Nursing Student . Allen youre going to have what i call a hybrid or phasedin labs. I think that is what is going on with a lot of cte teachers. They are bringing in students one or two days a week to do the actual handson lab. That is going on at trade schools and the High School Level as well. Allen pratt as the executive director of the National Rural Education Association. Alyson klein is with the publication Education Week, where she covers tech and education. Thank you both for being on the communicators. Alyson thanks for having me. Allen thank you. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2020] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] with 10 days to go before the election we show you several Campaign Events from today. First president obama at a drivein rally in support of democratic president ial candidate joe biden. Afterwards we take you to lucerne county pennsylvania, where joe biden and his wife jill held a campaign rally. Then later, president trumps remarks at a rally in circleville ohio. Followed by Vice President mike pence in tallahassee, florida. Cspan is your source for Life Campaign 2020 coverage. Now we take you to miami, florida where former president , barack obama is hosting a rally supporting democratic president ial candidate joe biden. [stay by zedd and alessia cara playing ] [horns h