COVID-19 Updates: Legal Aspects of Closures, Standard Test Disruption, Private-Public Partnerships

(From Venable LLP) Many independent schools across the country are considering a range of issues that have legal implications as they continue remote learning and prepare for a return to campus. Some of the many questions to consider:

• Does your school's distance learning program meet state requirements for instructional days?
• Does your distance-learning provider require parental consent?
• Should schools close their childcare programs?
• How does the Family and Medical Leave Act apply to COVID-19-related leave?
• How does the Americans with Disabilities Act affect my school's pandemic response?
  

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(From ICEF Monitor) The TOEFL and IELTS English language proficiency tests have suspended testing in dozens of countries/cities in line with guidance from healthcare authorities. Many institutions are making arrangements to accept alternate tests that can be taken on-demand, online and at home, and/or are adjusting deadlines for filing test results to give students some flexibility in meeting those requirements. Meanwhile, TOEFL is working on a plan to allow students to take the exam from home to minimize the disruption.

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(From World Economic Forum) In China, the Ministry of Education has assembled a group of diverse constituents to develop a new cloud-based, online learning and broadcasting platform as well as to upgrade a suite of education infrastructure, led by the Education Ministry and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Experts say this could be a prevalent and consequential trend, as learning consortiums and coalitions taking shape, with diverse stakeholders, including governments, publishers, education professionals, technology providers, and telecom network operators - coming together to utilize digital platforms as a temporary solution to the crisis.

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