Category: Government Actions

USDE and DOJ Supporting and Protecting the Rights of Students at Risk of Self-Harm in the Era of COVID-19 (November 8, 2021)

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have released Supporting Students at Risk of Self-Harm in the Era of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than a year of loss, isolation, and uncertainty for many people, including students, across the country. For some students, these stressors may have caused a mental health disability to worsen. Others may be experiencing mental health disabilities for the first time. In some situations, there may be a risk that a student will engage in self-harm or consider suicide. A student with a condition such as anxiety, depression, or a substance use disorder can have a mental health disability. Students with mental health disabilities are protected by Federal civil rights laws, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). These laws require K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions to provide students with an equal opportunity to learn, free from discrimination, including during public health crises. Section 504 and the ADA require schools and postsecondary institutions to make decisions about how to respond to students at risk of self-harm based on an assessment of each student’s circumstances rather than on fears, generalizations, or stereotypes about mental illness. In making these decisions, schools and postsecondary institutions generally must provide students who have mental health disabilities with reasonable modifications to school policies, practices, and procedures, as appropriate for an individual student. Public elementary and secondary schools must also provide students with disabilities a free appropriate public education, also known as FAPE, after an evaluation, as described in the Section 504 regulations. When schools and postsecondary institutions do not meet these responsibilities, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division (CRT) can help by enforcing these Federal laws that protect students from discrimination based on disability.

Examples of the kinds of incidents OCR and CRT can investigate are:
-A middle school student with autism has been experiencing bullying related to her disabilities by classmates at school. The student’s homeroom teacher has noticed the student seems depressed and withdrawn, and the student confides in the teacher that she can’t take it anymore and is considering ending her life. Instead of calling the student’s parents and contacting the school counselor, the teacher calls the school resource officer, who handcuffs the student and takes her to the hospital.
-A public school student has developed severe depression for the first time during the pandemic. Their parent tells the school principal. Despite the school’s Section 504 FAPE obligation to evaluate any student who needs or is believed to need special education or related services because of a disability, the principal does not refer the student for evaluation. Instead, the principal says that all students are struggling because of the pandemic and suggests that the parent should hire a private tutor and find a psychologist for the student.

To access the government website on this topic, click here.

USDE and CDC Launch COVID-19 Data Dashboard (November 8, 2021)

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have launched a new COVID-19 data dashboard to track the impact of the pandemic on K-12 programs. Included on the dashboard are location data on pediatric COVID-19 cases, youth vaccination rates, and numbers on schools that are operating in-person, hybrid or remote with data updated each week.

For more from the USDE, click here.

PDE Reminds LEAs of November 30th Grant Submission Deadlines (November 7, 2021)

Last month, the PA Department of Education (PDE) issued a PennLink message to all LEAs. It was titled Supplemental Equipment Grant Applications Available. The message stated that the Bureau of Career and Technical Education is now accepting applications for the 2021-22 Supplemental Equipment Grants. Approximately $5,550,000 in state funds are available for the purchase of equipment and for the purchase of a complete set of tools for use in the hands-on instruction of students enrolled in Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)-approved career and technical education (CTE) programs.

Pennsylvania secondary school districts and career and technical centers with PDE approved CTE programs are eligible to apply for this grant. The equipment and a complete set of tools must be a minimum of $3,000 per unit. The equipment must meet industry standards, and the Occupational Advisory Committee must have recommended each piece of equipment. Each grant will be awarded based on the funding formula. A match of local funds is not required. The 2021-22 Supplemental Equipment Grant guidelines contain the application information and are available at Career and Technical Education Grants. The deadline for applications is November 30, 2021, at 5 p.m.  Applications are submitted through the eGrant system. Application questions should be directed to Janelle Smith at [email protected] or 717-783-6990. Questions related to available funds should be directed to Ben Hanft at [email protected] or 717-787-5423.

Also last month, PDE released a PennLink to School District Superintendents and Charter School Chief School Administrators titled 2021-22 PA Ready to Learn Block Grant (RTL) Application Open in eGrants stating that PDE has released the 2021-22 Ready to Learn (RTL) application in eGrants and all eligible school entities (school districts, eligible charter schools, and eligible cyber charter schools) may apply. The submission deadline is November 30, 2021. 
The 2021-22 RTL Block Grant appropriation is $268 million, equivalent to the amount appropriated for the 2020-21 school year. RTL grants are to assist students enrolled in the commonwealth’s school districts and charter schools with attaining or maintaining academic performance targets. The purpose of this email is to inform eligible school entities how to apply for RTL funding.
 School entities should file an application on PDE’s eGrants system for RTL funding. The application is accessible under the heading Ready to Learn. If a school entity RTL contact does not have an eGrants user ID and password, the school entity’s federal programs coordinator or person who has completed federal grants on the PDE site has the ability as a user/administrator to add the RTL contact as a user.
The 2021-22 RTL Grant Guidelines are posted online: http://www.education.pa.gov/Teachers%20-%20Administrators/School%20Finances/Pages/Ready-to-Learn%20Block%20Grant.aspx.
To confirm the amount of your school entity’s RTL allocation for the 2021-22 school year, visit PDE’s website: https://www.education.pa.gov/Teachers%20-%20Administrators/School%20Finances/Education%20Budget/Pages/default.aspx. Click on 2021-2022 Ready to Learn Block Grant to open a spreadsheet containing the list of allocations for all eligible districts and charter schools. Eligible school entities will receive 50 percent of funding upon submitting their application in eGrants and the balance following PDE’s approval of their application.
A final expenditure report for 2021-22 RTL grant funding will open Monday, June 28, 2022, and must be entered in eGrants by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, August 31, 2022.
For questions concerning RTL, contact Jim Towse: (717) 783-9542 or mailto:[email protected].

PDE Reminds Communities of Available Online Mental Health Resources (November 7, 2021)

In an effort to support the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of students and educators across the commonwealth, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is reiterating the availability of online resources, especially as the holiday season approaches.

“The Wolf Administration is committed to preserving and promoting the health of the whole student, which includes mental health, behavioral health, and emotional health as well as physical,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Noe Ortega. “We encourage schools and communities to use the helpful resources at their disposal and, most importantly, to talk to a trusted adult or peer if they are struggling with their mental health.”

PDE offers a collection of resources and supports on its website on topics that include mental health, social-emotional wellness, self-care, grief and loss, equity and inclusion, managing your youth’s emotions when you’re stressed, and family resources among other topics. 

As part of a larger roadmap for school leaders and communities, PDE developed a Staff and Student Wellness Guide for communicating with stakeholders and selecting universal practices to assess, monitor and support the social and emotional needs of staff and students.

Mental health is as important as physical health and preserving it must be a priority. This time of year can be especially stressful for high school seniors, students returning home from college, and children and families isolated due to weather or illness.

“Feelings of loneliness have been shown to negatively impact the mental well-being of adults and our youth and this has been recently highlighted. With most students back in classrooms, we have seen natural decreases in loneliness as students reconnect to their peers and to educators. Schools are doing an admirable job promoting this connection,” said Dr. Dana Milakovic, Mental Wellness and Trauma Expert at the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

“As we move into the holiday season, it is important to be aware that our staff, students, and families may have experienced losses or increased stress over the last year that will impact feelings of well-being and can trigger feelings of isolation during holiday breaks from school. During a time of the year when mental health needs rise, it is important to recognize that not only is it okay to reach out for help, but there are resources available to you—even during holiday breaks.” 

Last year, the administration launched Reach Out PA: Your Mental Health Matters, a multi-agency initiative aimed at ending the stigma behind mental health and expanding access to comprehensive support services throughout the commonwealth.

In addition to these resources, there are various state and national support services that can offer help 24/7.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has information on its website to inform individuals on best mental health practices and strategies. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) offers free and confidential support 24/7 for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources, and best practices for professionals.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) also offers free, confidential, 24/7 national treatment referral and information for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

The Trevor Project  (1-866-488-7386) is a nationwide, confidential, 24/7 suicide prevention and crisis intervention lifeline for LGBTQIA youth aged 25 and younger.

The Trans Lifeline (1-877-565-8860) is a nationwide, confidential crisis intervention hotline ran by the Trans community assisting Trans people through emotional and financial support.

PDH Joins Pediatricians to Discuss Safe, Effective COVID-19 Vaccine to Protect Kids 5 to 11 (November 4, 2021)

On November 4, 2021, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam joined pediatricians at the Pediatrics of Northeastern Pennsylvania office to discuss the Pfizer pediatric vaccine that received emergency use authorization this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for children ages 5 through 11 to protect them and those around them from the virus.

With parental consent, children ages 5 through 11 may now receive the Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccine. The Department of Health is working with vaccine providers across the state to help ensure that the pediatric vaccine is available in every community.

“By the end of this week Pennsylvania vaccine providers, including pediatricians, primary care physicians, family doctors, pharmacies, federally qualified health centers and grocery stores, will have more than 414,000 doses of the pediatric vaccine,” Beam said. “The CDC tells us they will be ramping up deliveries directly to the providers in the coming days and weeks.”

Acting Health Secretary Beam thanked Dr. Kate Tigue, MD, FAAP and Dr. April Troy, MD, MPH, FAAP for their support; and recognized the entire Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics for being such strong advocates for ensuring that more children have access to the pediatric vaccine.

“With at least one quarter of all COVID cases occurring in children, the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 thought 11 is a huge milestone for some 28 million kids! This vaccine provides the best protection we have against this virus,” said Dr. Trude Haecker, MD, FAAP, President, Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “The pandemic has taken a toll not only on the physical health of children, but also on their social, developmental and emotional health. Thankfully, this vaccine will move us closer to a return to normalcy for our children, and ensure that they can remain in school, safely. I encourage all parents and caregivers to reach out to their pediatrician or primary care provider with questions and to schedule their child’s vaccination.”

Pennsylvanians are encouraged to contact their child’s pediatrician or local pharmacy to schedule a child’s vaccine appointment and to ask any questions about vaccine and a child’s eligibility.

To find more information on the COVID-19 pediatric vaccine, visit health.pa.gov.