Parent organizes co-op for learners; group rallies for in-person school days after benchmarks release

For updated coverage Aug. 12 and forward
Updated Aug. 11: An Arizona mother of four has organized a co-op where working parents can drop off their children at a host parent’s home where the students will do their online learning, KJZZ 91.5 FM reports.
How do you coach school-aged kids through online classes from home and work yourself?@laurengilger met one Arizona mom who came up with a solution.https://t.co/7KsKuOTLFE
— KJZZ Phoenix (@kjzzphoenix) August 11, 2020
Last night, hundreds of parents and students rallied at Arizona’s Capitol to demand more support for working families and to push for in-person classes for students now.
Tonight it’s Green for Ed – a demand to return to classrooms. LIVE NOW @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/4rOB5vOqp8
— Peter Samore (@ktarpetersamore) August 11, 2020
JUST IN-
— Danielle Lerner (@DanielleLerner) August 12, 2020
Tonight the @qcusd board voted 4-1 to resume in-person learning on 8/17.
We’re told students will still have an online option.
No Arizona school should be holding in-person learning yet, according to state health officials. However, the J.O. Combs Unified School District’s governing board decided Monday in a 3-2 vote to offer it anyway. https://t.co/Xec7GqEdsB
— KJZZ Phoenix (@kjzzphoenix) August 12, 2020
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose to 188,737 today from 187,523 yesterday, and 4,199 have died from the virus, said the Arizona Department of Health Services.
About 18% of those living on tribal lands have no internet access, according to @ASU’s @AIPInstitute. #COVID-19 is drawing attention to that lack of connectivity as the U.S. turns to #telemedicine. https://t.co/NZnTu3uQ0I
— Cronkite News (@cronkitenews) August 11, 2020
In Maricopa County, there are 126,791 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 18,381 in Pima County, 11,633 in Yuma County, 8,509 in Pinal County, 5,391 in Navajo County, 3,197 in Apache County, 3,128 in Coconino County, 2,669 in Santa Cruz County, 3,226 in Mohave County, 2,040 in Yavapai County, 1,730 in Cochise County, 950 in Gila County, 479 in La Paz County, 555 in Graham County and 57 in Greenlee County.
Nearly 50% of inmates at a Tucson-area prison tested positive for COVID-19. https://t.co/hsazduAfVZ
— AZPM (@azpublicmedia) August 11, 2020

We’ve released our public health recommendations for planning the reopening of paused industries in Arizona: https://t.co/8wSazxZ9yk. The plan includes data-driven benchmarks, phased reopening, and requirements to mitigate the spread of #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/UssCZlj3br
— AZ Dept of Health (@AZDHS) August 11, 2020
A shortened time for Census takers to knock on doors to ensure everyone is counted in the 2020 Census will hurt school programs that are funded based on community counts, Education Week says.
Child advocacy groups have warned that an abbreviated Census schedule threatens to jeopardize the accuracy of the count, which is crucial for schools. https://t.co/bkmu3eVgfo
— Education Week (@educationweek) August 11, 2020
Look to the skies tonight to see the Perseid Meteor Shower.
Hey, Phoenix skywatchers: The peak of the Perseid meteor shower starts tonight.
— Phoenix New Times (@phoenixnewtimes) August 11, 2020
https://t.co/pd6W4bK29g
Hear what students of color and their families think of how social and emotional skills relate to success from The Education Trust.
How do students & families of color perceive the importance of social & emotional skills & how do they think those skills relate to success? We held focus groups across the country to find out. Read what we learned https://t.co/x9Ajww07VE #ReEnvisionSEL pic.twitter.com/mFJRmQWxSt
— The Education Trust (@EdTrust) August 11, 2020
The Pac-12 postpones all sports until 2021 today.
“We want to play in the worst way, but not at the risk of health and safety,” said Ray Anderson, @ASU‘s vice president for university athletics. His comments follow the Pac-12 announcement to postpone all sports competitions through the end of 2020. https://t.co/5UNYrG4mF5
— Cronkite News (@cronkitenews) August 12, 2020
Help teachers with a donation to DonorsChoose today and The Gates Foundation will boost it.
Our foundation is partnering with @DonorsChoose to support teachers as they get ready to go back to school—in whatever form that takes—and will boost your donations to the classroom project of your choice today. https://t.co/nh3CnQI9vm
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) August 11, 2020
As Arizona State University’s Fall semester begins, take a look to see if your tech meets all the school’s requirements for your courses.
The fall semester starts Aug. 20, and it’s time to make sure you’re ready! #ASUAdulting101 is here to help you make sure you meet all the technology requirements for #ASUSync. 🔱
— Arizona State University (@ASU) August 11, 2020
Check if you’re prepared here ➡️ https://t.co/CLmWXQGFMF pic.twitter.com/70o05swlxC
When children of color see a family like theirs in a book it can be a game changer, says edutopia.
Do you remember the first time you saw a family like yours reflected in a book? That moment can be a real game changer for kids from minority communities.https://t.co/zRZ03VBMvu
— edutopia (@edutopia) August 11, 2020
Head Start is seeking to be included in COVID-19 relief funding that Congress is crafting.
Negotiations over #COVID19 relief funding continue on Capitol Hill, but currently do NOT include funding for #HeadStart. Before its too late, we need Congress to #UniteforHeadStart and help programs avoid devasting funding shortfalls.
— National Head Start Association (@NatlHeadStart) August 11, 2020
Will you help? https://t.co/XNR6gEEqiy
A new tool helps medical school applicants with their virtual interviews.
New tool teaches medical school applicants how to navigate the AAMC virtual interview. https://t.co/BmIF2Aljwo
— U.S. News Education (@USNewsEducation) August 11, 2020
Aug. 10: A parent group called Green Rally is pushing for instructional options at Arizona schools right now that include in-person learning, and they’re rallying outside the state capitol this evening at 6 p.m demanding more support for working families.
Tonight it’s Green for Ed – a demand to return to classrooms. LIVE NOW @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/4rOB5vOqp8
— Peter Samore (@ktarpetersamore) August 11, 2020
“I think a lot of people are happy staying online and there’s an option for them, but a lot of people do not have the option to work online with their kids, so there has to be some sort of solution for them,” Brittny Smith, told azfamily.
Outside State Capitol at an “AZ Open Our Schools Rally” where over 300 people are gathered (mostly unmasked) imploring the state to reopen schools for in-class education. Follow azcentral for more. pic.twitter.com/goaSVPwrZq
— Patrick Breen 📸🌵 (@pjbreenphoto) August 11, 2020
“We aren’t looking for babysitters, we’re looking for educators.”
— Danielle Lerner (@DanielleLerner) August 11, 2020
Growing crowd at the Capitol right now rallying to reopen schools NOW. pic.twitter.com/NPfO73mJlU
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose to 187,523 today from 186,923 yesterday, and 4,154 have died from the virus, said the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Hispanic children eight times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19, CDC reports: https://t.co/R7ivKXLNlU pic.twitter.com/HlnNNvupCv
— azfamily 3TV CBS 5 (@azfamily) August 11, 2020
In Maricopa County, there are 126,371 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 17,996 in Pima County, 11,609 in Yuma County, 8,378 in Pinal County, 5,375 in Navajo County, 3,194 in Apache County, 3,099 in Coconino County, 2,671 in Santa Cruz County, 3,202 in Mohave County, 2,018 in Yavapai County, 1,611 in Cochise County, 916 in Gila County, 477 in La Paz County, 549 in Graham County and 57 in Greenlee County.
When the #COVID19 pandemic hit the Navajo Nation Reservation, one man stepped up to help haul water to those in need; read on from @cronkitenews: https://t.co/yS0i6fKXFs
— Arizona PBS (@arizonapbs) August 11, 2020

Policy makers and teachers continue to encourage Congress to continue working on another aid package to help states, schools, the unemployed and towns and cities during the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, governors, lawmakers, mayors, teachers and others said they were going to keep pushing members of Congress to revive the talks and agree to another rescue package. https://t.co/HTsOoiKxyl
— 12 News (@12News) August 11, 2020
In addition, benchmarks were released today by the Arizona Department of Health Services for when gyms, bars and theaters can re-open in Arizona.
#BREAKING: Benchmarks released for when gyms, bars, and theaters can reopen in Arizona: https://t.co/59g3yKM8gM pic.twitter.com/X2UW461v0h
— azfamily 3TV CBS 5 (@azfamily) August 10, 2020
The guidance indicates it won’t be back to business as usual for a while.
Under pressure from a court order, Gov. Doug Ducey agreed Monday to provide a “roadmap” to eventually allow not just gyms and fitness centers to reopen but also movie theaters, water parks and some bars. https://t.co/nF4TbyNQjj
— Arizona Daily Star (@TucsonStar) August 11, 2020
A group of students and faculty urge Arizona State University administrators to reconsider plans for in-person learning.
Group urges ASU to reconsider plans to return to in-person learning, @Jennifer_Fox10 has more. https://t.co/DEAjcKKYq6
— FOX 10 Phoenix (@FOX10Phoenix) August 11, 2020
Here’s where and when to look to see the Perseid Meteor Shower.
Eyes to the sky! How and when to watch #PerseidMeteorShower in #Arizona: https://t.co/9zh7Vkk8hU #abc15 pic.twitter.com/iNvTifbq8a
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) August 11, 2020
Arizona Association of County School Superintendents met today to help educators and students.
Some highlights from today:
— AACo (@AZCounties) August 11, 2020
1. There’s a lot of work going on to get critical funding to our schools through state and federal funds.
2. Schools can check out the Virtual Teachers Academy to get some training on teaching in this new digital environment: https://t.co/h5K2BnpXfO.
A veteran educator focuses on showing students the joy in reading, The Atlantic reports.
In 28 years of teaching, Deloris Fowler has taught through a number of disappointing education reforms. But she’s driven to show students the joy in reading—regardless of the curriculum, writes @natwexler: https://t.co/YKMn2MRcQK
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) August 11, 2020
Arizona Education Association says many educators are considering retiring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
AEA VP @marisolgarciaaz warns many educators are looking to retire early amid pandemic. https://t.co/aQrUfPRbMW
— AZ Education Assoc. 🍎🏫🎒📚✏️ (@ArizonaEA) August 11, 2020
Expect More Arizona, Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona and the Fiesta Bowl encourage you to apply for the Empowering Diversity Scholarship by Aug. 17.
#MotivationalMonday: @BCBSAZ & @Fiesta_Bowl created the Empowering Diversity Scholarship to support AZ minority students in achieving their academic goals. 16 students will receive a $5k grant for their education. The application is open until 8/17. Apply: https://t.co/vsFggeLi83 https://t.co/8S3AjrMSZl
— ExpectMoreAZ (@ExpectMoreAZ) August 11, 2020
Navajo Elementary students get a preview of what their classrooms will look like when it’s safe to be back on campus again.
Navajo Elementary School Principal Matt Patzlaff took AZFamily on a tour of the renovated Navajo campus. Take a look at all the changes that await students when they’re able to return safely to campus: https://t.co/cClwmgRKku.
— Scottsdale Unified School District (@ScottsdaleUSD) August 11, 2020
Sometimes students misbehave when they don’t understand an assignment or it’s too difficult, edutopia says.
A common classroom management mistake: assuming that misbehavior isn’t an academic issue. 20% of the time, students don’t understand an assignment, or it’s too difficult—and they act out in frustration.https://t.co/g8uPZcUHTU
— edutopia (@edutopia) August 11, 2020
Colleges could vote to cancel fall sports due to COVID-19 concerns.
The Pac-12 Conference could vote to cancel the fall sports season amid heightened concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and reports that the Big Ten is about to pull the plug. https://t.co/Lgd2auxMmZ
— Arizona Daily Star (@TucsonStar) August 11, 2020
Creek Unified School District congratulated one of its students for earning a scholarship.
CONGRATULATIONS Alison Tobin – CSHS Class of ‘2020-Chamber of Commerce Announces Scholarship Winner for $3000! Alison was selected from a group of 17 applicants. She had an unweighted GPA of 3.8, Weighted 4.57 & will be attending ASU studying law & philosophy. pic.twitter.com/gyaBp5lho5
— Cave Creek USD (@CaveCreekUSD93) August 11, 2020
Aug. 6: Arizona Dept. of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ and Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman released today a set of health benchmarks that schools may use to determine when it’s safe to return to in-person instruction during this COVID-19 pandemic.
“While it’s clear that Arizona is not currently ready to resume in-person or hybrid learning, we now have clear goals for knowing when it is safer to return to the classroom,” Supt. Hoffman wrote in a letter.
” I urge all school leaders to use these benchmarks to make safe decisions about learning this school year, Supt. Hoffman wrote.
Click here for Supt. Hoffman’s letter on the benchmarks
Schools are encouraged to consider delaying re-opening for in-person classes for all students until there is minimal COVID-19 spread in their community (green on the chart below), and to take precautions such as requiring students and staff to wear masks, remain physically distant from each other and limit the number of students on campus.

When there’s moderate community spread, the yellow column in the chart above, schools may consider re-opening in a limited capacity for some students. That could be a hybrid model where students alternate between some students attending in-person classes while other students do distance learning.
Schools may consider that limited re-opening when the COVID-19 positivity rate has been below seven percent for two weeks not including the current week, COVID-like illness hospital visits have been below 10 percent for two weeks, and their county’s new confirmed COVID-19 cases are below 100 cases per 100,000 population for the past two weeks, but not including the current week OR there has been a decline in weekly average cases for two consecutive weeks not including the current week.
If community spread becomes substantial, the red column in the chart above, then schools should return to distance learning.

To put that in perspective, the COVID-19 positivity rate in Maricopa County on Wednesday was 13 percent.
These recommendations are in line with national standards set by the Coronavirus Task Force.
The Arizona Dept. of Education and Arizona Dept. of Health Services will hold a webinar for school administrators tomorrow to discuss how to use the benchmarks.
Educators, parents, and students must be assured that when returning to school they will be safe and that schools at a bare minimum follow all CDC guidelines, according to an Arizona Education Association press release.
“Our primary concern has remained the health, safety, and welfare of students, families, and educators, as well as the health and safety of the broader community,” said Joe Thomas, president of the Arizona Education Association, in a press release.
Until a campus, a worksite, or a classroom can assure educators, students, and parents that they will be safe, it is too great a risk for anyone to enter a school facility, the AEA press release noted.
“If Arizona is serious about making our schools safe, then our leaders need to provide districts with the flexibility and funding they need,” Thomas said. “Districts must include educators in discussions aimed at providing the best possible education for our students as we confront the challenges posed by COVID-19.”
Schools need guidance on #ReOpeningSchools safely, but @USEdGov isn’t providing it. We have 13,000 districts working independently instead of with coherent national guidelines. @JohnBKing & @CraigMelvin talked about the impossible position schools are in https://t.co/71lmU4IKCJ
— The Education Trust (@EdTrust) August 6, 2020
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose to 183,647 today from 182,203 yesterday, and 4,002 have died from the virus, said the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Arizona passes 4,000 known COVID-19 deaths as virus hospitalizations continue gradual decline https://t.co/95n31zr8L3 via @azcentral by @alisteinbach
— YvonneWingettSanchez 🏜 (@yvonnewingett) August 6, 2020
In Maricopa County, there are 124,022 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 17,293 in Pima County, 11,367 in Yuma County, 8,323 in Pinal County, 5,330 in Navajo County, 3,110 in Apache County, 3,043 in Coconino County, 2,643 in Santa Cruz County, 3,078 in Mohave County, 1,936 in Yavapai County, 1,565 in Cochise County, 884 in Gila County, 477 in La Paz County, 518 in Graham County and 58 in Greenlee County.

The U.S. federal government has ignored, disregarded or delayed efforts to improve schools for Native American students, The Arizona Republic and ProPublica report.
“The federal government gives Native students an inadequate education and gets away with it.” (via @ac_woods) https://t.co/E6R5iaLgLo
— Dan Nowicki (@dannowicki) August 6, 2020
Tolleson Elementary School District helps get the word out about free community COVID-19 testing.
A public service announcement for you – FREE Community COVID-19 testing! pic.twitter.com/8eCINWsBsO
— Tolleson Elementary School District (@TollesonESD) August 6, 2020
Chandler Unified will also host a COVID-19 drive-up testing site starting on Friday.
We are pleased to host a Covid-19 drive-up testing site beginning https://t.co/7rl66TsHa3 cost to participants. Registration available in 5-minute blocks. https://t.co/YbmbiwyITp
— Chandler Unified SD (@ChandlerUnified) August 6, 2020
Chiefs for Change is helping school leaders like Phoenix Union’s Supt. Dr. Chad Gestson and others across the country as they manage digital learning and determine when it’s safe to come back.
K-12 leaders are facing challenges unlike anything we’ve seen as they work to protect health and ensure children continue to learn. We are doing everything we can to support them in this unprecedented time. Our resources here: @ChadGestson @PhoenixUnion https://t.co/V0l8KkFUIx pic.twitter.com/8JLP9ilNcf
— Chiefs for Change (@chiefsforchange) August 6, 2020
Gov. Doug Ducey announced today a partnership between Helios Education Foundation, the Arizona Dept. of Education, Arizona State University and the Office of the Arizona Governor to create a virtual teacher training institute.
Teachers will have access to group and personal training to help them succeed in delivering online instruction. Topics are relevant to all digital learning tools and include best practices in online instruction, pace charts, setting up a virtual instruction plan and more. 3/
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) August 6, 2020
Teachers will have access to group and personal training to help them succeed in delivering online instruction. Topics are relevant to all digital learning tools and include best practices in online instruction, pace charts, setting up a virtual instruction plan and more. 3/
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) August 6, 2020
Lowell Observatory’s interactive stargazing is streaming live tonight.
We have another #InteractiveStargazing live stream tonight! Join our fabulous educators for an evening of celestial discovery where you can ask questions and choose what you want to see.
— Lowell Observatory (@LowellObs) August 6, 2020
Click the link below to tune in at 8:30 AZ/PT!https://t.co/I4bjYeKbT5
📷: Whitney James pic.twitter.com/yitJ9lvtu0
Boys & Girls Clubs of Arizona remind families clubs are open to help children with distance learning.
⏰ When schools close, Clubs are open! Our Extended Programs for Distance Learning will provide your children with the best tools to have an amazing time during this difficult year. Learn more: https://t.co/cNbCp6lAOe 🎒 🖥️️ #WhateverItTakes #GreatFutures #Arizonakids pic.twitter.com/7UVwCtVh6R
— Boys & Girls Clubs (@bgcarizona) August 5, 2020
Applications are open for an all girl jazz musician program, says Raising Arizona Kids.
.@TheNashJazz opens applications for Phoenix Jazz Girls Rising. Music and mentoring for girls ages 10-17. https://t.co/y5AVXtUvqV
— Raising Arizona Kids (@RAKmagazine) August 6, 2020
Looking for free Wi-Fi hotspots nearby to do your online learning? KOLD News provides this map.
Arizonans can now find free Wi-Fi spots near their homes through an interactive map. Read more in the link below. https://t.co/YTTZur9JSx
— KOLDNews (@KOLDNews) August 6, 2020
The number of families home-schooling their children tripled in July, The Arizona Republic reports.
The number of families reporting to the county that they will home-school their children more than tripled in July this year compared with July 2019, according to data from the Maricopa County Superintendent’s Office. https://t.co/TGSkXTv7ha
— azcentral (@azcentral) August 6, 2020
Update Aug. 5: Arizona School Risk Retention Trust, which provides insurance coverage to nearly 250 Arizona school districts and community colleges, reversed an earlier stance and will now provide COVID-19 liability coverage for an additional premium depending on size.
Arizona’s largest insurer for schools reversed course Tuesday, saying it would provide liability coverage for claims related to COVID-19.https://t.co/f56SqSQ9SO
— KTAR News 92.3 (@KTAR923) August 5, 2020
Many Arizona students are back-to-school online today, catching up with friends and learning from their teachers.
Great first day! @RSDNo66 is working hard to be a leader in remote learning! #SomosRoosevelt #BeBoldRSD pic.twitter.com/OLRrQQdAVm
— Quintin Boyce (@quintinboyce) August 4, 2020
Some teachers say they aren’t prepared for long-term remote learning, azfamily reports.
Teachers say they are not prepared for long-term remote learning https://t.co/fsQ5yrmvWr pic.twitter.com/GKmEXZpWq1
— azfamily 3TV CBS 5 (@azfamily) August 5, 2020
Experts from Tucson and Sahuarita Unified share some best practices for remote learning.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose to 182,203 today from 180,505 yesterday, and 3,932 have died from the virus, said the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Arizona reported 87 new known COVID-19 deaths and almost 1,700 new cases on Wednesday as hospitalizations for the virus continue to gradually decline. https://t.co/j0mLGSe4Kr
— azcentral (@azcentral) August 5, 2020
Do you want to know if you have #COVID19? Come get a FREE test on Aug 8. Results within 2-4 days. No insurance/ID required. Invite your friends & family, including kids as young as 2yrs. Register now: https://t.co/fgRi5koMVg or call 888-587-3647. #AZTestingBlitz #MaskUpAZ pic.twitter.com/Vnf8qj1m79
— Equality Health (@equalityhealth) August 4, 2020
In Maricopa County, there are 123,082 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 16,964 in Pima County, 11,314 in Yuma County, 8,297 in Pinal County, 5,309 in Navajo County, 3,119 in Apache County, 3,033 in Coconino County, 2,633 in Santa Cruz County, 3,073 in Mohave County, 1,904 in Yavapai County, 1,560 in Cochise County, 871 in Gila County, 476 in La Paz County, 511 in Graham County and 57 in Greenlee County.
517 inmates test positive for COVID-19 in Tucson, nearly half of prison population there @azcentral https://t.co/yLCl5pGzYV
— Lauren Castle (@lauren_castle) August 5, 2020

TODAY: Gov. Ducey to meet with President Trump at White House. https://t.co/831qF1i6n9
— FOX 10 Phoenix (@FOX10Phoenix) August 5, 2020
Hayden Winkelman Unified School District Supt. Jeff Gregorich talks about teachers testing positive for COVID-19 in his Gila County district after one teacher died after contracting it and why he does not think it’s safe to students to return to in-person instruction.
Arizona Supt. of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman congratulates the 10 candidates for Arizona Educational Foundation’s 2021 Arizona Teacher of the Year. Click here to read more about it.
Congratulations to @azedfoundation‘s ten candidates for Arizona Teacher of the Year! From Sahuarita to Flagstaff, this group of educators represents excellence in Arizona education. Good luck with the rest of the process! https://t.co/lrR53vZ7tU
— Kathy Hoffman (@Supt_Hoffman) August 5, 2020
U.S. Census Bureau workers start knocking on doors this month of households that haven’t responded to the 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail. There’s still time to respond before they visit your neighborhood.
Some schools are having teachers lead online learning from their classrooms this year, Education Week reports.
Some schools are telling teachers: Welcome to this empty classroom, where you’ll be working with students remotely this year. https://t.co/ftv933KvZD
— Andrew Ujifusa (@AndrewUjifusa) August 5, 2020
Teen Lifeline has seen an increase in calls for mental health help from Arizona teensagers since the COVID-19 quarantine began.
As the coronavirus pandemic has unfolded, service requests for help with mental health have steadily increased in Arizona.@Ali_Vetnar has the story: https://t.co/kGu7NPq800
— KTAR News 92.3 (@KTAR923) August 5, 2020
Many Arizona schools have started pick-up meal service for students, and Pendergast Elementary school offers three options.
Breakfast & Lunch Grab-and-Go meals for enrolled students will be served Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m.- 8:30 a.m from the schools’ cafeterias. Mobile meal delivery program also available. For updated meal information, visit: https://t.co/h6uX0gcHgS or call your school directly. pic.twitter.com/b1o0OEg0or
— RSD No. 66 (@RSDNo66) August 5, 2020
West MEC Supt. Greg Donovan welcomes students and staff back to classes.
Supporting new teachers is more important than ever with the hurdles educators are facing during the coronavirus pandemic, the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching says.
It’s easy to imagine that the challenges of the upcoming year have the potential to drive new teachers out of the profession before they even get started, which is why it’s more critical than ever to focus on support for new teachers: https://t.co/iy6Bf1Cj2g
— National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (@NIETteach) August 5, 2020
Some faculty members share their concerns about in-person classes even with safety measures with The State Press.
Even with safety measures, some faculty are still afraid to return to campus. https://t.co/XmfAd4f2cb
— The State Press (@statepress) August 5, 2020
Students and families of color share their experiences with social, emotional and academic learning in an upcoming The Education Trust report.
For our upcoming report “Social, Emotional, & Academic Development Through an Equity Lens” we held focus groups with students & families of color about their experiences. Sign up to be first to get the new report on Thursday https://t.co/XU5cZF6049 #ReEnvisioningSEL #SEL
— The Education Trust (@EdTrust) August 5, 2020
The U.S. Dept of Education seeks new data on how states and schools use federal aid and flexibility from certain mandates, Education Week reports.
Feds Seek New Data About Pandemic’s Effects on School Funding, Accountability https://t.co/raXrzAu4MF
— Politics K-12 (@PoliticsK12) August 5, 2020
Update Aug. 4: Supt. of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman said Arizona schools are “not currently in a place to resume traditional in-person instruction or hybrid learning models” due to the incidence of COVID-19 and “that it is unlikely that any school community will be able to reopen safely for traditional in-person or hybrid instruction by August 17th” in a statement last night.
“While there is a need to provide some students with certain critical services that cannot be provided at a distance – such as special education therapies and nutrition services – we should not expect or ask the majority of Arizona’s students and teachers to make a return to school facilities until the spread of COVID-19 is under control,” Supt. Hoffman said.
My statement regarding upcoming public health metrics and reopening school facilities: pic.twitter.com/wLJ55iGm8P
— Kathy Hoffman (@Supt_Hoffman) August 4, 2020
“Once available, our school leaders should follow the metrics when making the decision to resume in-person instruction. While these metrics are not currently mandated, schools should be prepared to be held accountable by teachers, parents and families to make evidence-based decisions,” Hoffman said.
The Arizona Department of Health Services will release a set of public health metrics to guide the re-opening of schools by Aug. 7.
In addition, the Arizona Dept. of Education released guidelines to clarify schools’ responsibility to provide on-site support for students beginning Aug. 17th as directed by several of Gov. Doug Ducey’s executive orders, said Leigh Jensen, governmental relations associate for Arizona School Boards Association.
Click here for email with On-Site Services Guidance Overview and In-depth Guidance
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose to 180,505 today from 179,497 yesterday, and 3,845 have died from the virus, said the Arizona Department of Health Services.
In Maricopa County, there are 121,789 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 16,809 in Pima County, 11,217 in Yuma County, 8,304 in Pinal County, 5,301 in Navajo County, 3,098 in Apache County, 3,013 in Coconino County, 2,618 in Santa Cruz County, 3,048 in Mohave County, 1,883 in Yavapai County, 1,554 in Cochise County, 846 in Gila County, 476 in La Paz County, 492 in Graham County and 57 in Greenlee County.

Testimony from @drcarachrist at trial over @dougducey closure of fitness centers shows the state is following some White House Coronavirus Task Force recommendations but not others. That could affect how judge rules on future of gyms in AZ. https://t.co/V8FaLuXsOV pic.twitter.com/fAQXG1CnHr
— azcapmedia (@azcapmedia) August 4, 2020
It’s Primary Election Day in Arizona, check below to find vote center locations.
Do you still have an early ballot at home? Drop it off at any of our Vote Centers or secure ballot drop boxes today. Make sure it’s in your signed green envelope! Find a Vote Center or drop box near you at https://t.co/dfSOK0NIa7. pic.twitter.com/uhgetNDiQW
— Adrian Fontes, Maricopa County Recorder (@RecorderFontes) August 4, 2020
¡Bueno días, Arizona! Las urnas están abiertas hasta las 7 p.m. Lleve ID si votará en persona.
— Elvia Diaz (@elviadiaz1) August 4, 2020
Algunas opciones:
✅ Licencia válida de conducir de AZ
✅ Cuenta de servicios como electricidad, gas, agua o teléfono.
Más aquí — https://t.co/jh81P6JMt8#VotoEsSuVoz #Vote pic.twitter.com/gFRc3vDrFS
Remember, you can drop off your mail-in ballot at a polling center.
Do you still have an early ballot at home? Drop it off at any of our Vote Centers or secure ballot drop boxes today. Make sure it’s in your signed green envelope! Find a Vote Center or drop box near you at https://t.co/dfSOK0NIa7. pic.twitter.com/uhgetNDiQW
— Adrian Fontes, Maricopa County Recorder (@RecorderFontes) August 4, 2020
Black and LatinX girls are ready to lead and their parents are great role models for that, accordint to research from Girls Leadership.
We want a future where Black and Latinx girls stand among our leaders with no barriers. Together, we can make that happen. The Applied Materials Foundation is honored to be a funder of this report. #ReadyToLead @GirlsLeadership #GenerationGirl https://t.co/EXFwevTMtU
— Applied4Good (@Applied4Good) August 4, 2020
The Musical Instrument Museum is offering mini-music makers classes online for young children up to 5 years old. Find out more here.
August online Mini Music Makers classes start tomorrow morning for kids aged 0–5 years! Every Wednesday MIM’s curator of education will lead participants in exploring music from around the globe through song and dance on Zoom. Tickets starting at $4: https://t.co/KqRLGgvfYP pic.twitter.com/S3kZDH1S4P
— MIM (@MIMphx) August 4, 2020
Learn more about how scaffolding and high-quality classroom interactions can help students’ language and literacy development in this WestEd research.
Jennifer Hammond has published extensively on the topics of language and literacy development, scaffolding high-quality classroom interactions, & cultural and systemic theories of language https://t.co/qAgD9KQapn #duallang #bilingual #ELLchat #ELLs #edchat pic.twitter.com/aggjXQWiex
— WestEd (@WestEd) August 4, 2020
What will the Arizona State University classes look like for the Fall semester? Find out here.
What will the fall semester at @ASU look like this year? Watch this: https://t.co/XNxsRMpkxp
— Arizona Board of Regents (@AZRegents) August 4, 2020
Updated Aug. 3: Many teachers and students returned to school today with distance learning due to the incidence of COVID-19, while others will be starting later this week.
The counseling department is jumping for joy (at a safe social distance of course). School starts WEDNESDAY! Check out our website to learn more about your counselors. Go Colts! 💙💛 @CasteelColts @ColtPrincipal @CUSDCounseling @ChandlerUnified https://t.co/Y3AdaBIVNj pic.twitter.com/xKvk5HULI5
— CCHS College&Career (@cchs_career) August 3, 2020
Late last week and early this week, schools were checking out technology to students to ensure they had what they need to start distance learning.
Barry Goldwater HS @BGHS_DVUSD @DVUSD handing out materials to Abby for #Day1 OnLine Techies are connecting students #BackToSchool2020 #extraordinary #team pic.twitter.com/ytRHw5XPx1
— Curt Finch, PhD (@DrFinchDVUSD) August 3, 2020
Well, we certainly didn’t think we’d be doing this again. 😔But we’re #makingthebestofit and saw lots of smiling faces! Schools held Meet the Teacher drive thru’s & Chromebook pick-ups this week for the start of school remotely on August 4. @SOHESHawks @DysartEagles @ARESMustangs pic.twitter.com/n3Ddnnn9Ae
— Dysart School District (@DysartUSD) July 31, 2020
School districts also want families to know that they are serving breakfast and lunch for students at daily pickup locations too.
Good Morning! Welcome Back! Hope to see you all from 10am-11:30am at the Daily Pick Up Locations for breakfast and lunch! Remember we will have breakfast & lunch available to students in the district at EHS, QCHS, QCJH, and QCE! pic.twitter.com/GBmAbSPwOy
— QCUSD Child Nutrition (@QcusdNutrition) August 3, 2020
Schools are also reaching out to parents to find out if they need on-campus support services for their students this school year.
📌📌IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
— Crane School Dist. (@CraneSchools) August 3, 2020
Crane Schools need to hear from families regarding their initial decision on whether or not they will require on-site support services. Crane schools will be reaching out to you to get your input. Survey: https://t.co/6kVGy9FHE3. pic.twitter.com/dMlnhl8Pv4
School administrators are encourages to move beyond instruction based on old practices and keep health and safety in mind in all decisions.
Lessons in Leadership: In reopening prep, administrators move beyond ‘old way of doing things’ https://t.co/ZximK3QWHY via @EdDiveK12
— NAESP (@NAESP) August 3, 2020
Phoenix Union High School District congratulated its schools for using PXUConnectEd.
Congratulations @MVPantherNation and @AbrilAcademy for winning the 20-21 #PXUSpiritStick! All schools did an incredible job using #PXUConnectED! The entries were creative and inspiring. It was extremely hard to pick a winner. Great work, Phoenix Union! #ThisIsWhoWeAre pic.twitter.com/pP1YrFjS9u
— PXU (@PhoenixUnion) August 3, 2020
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose to 179,497 today from 178,467 yesterday, and 3,779 have died from the virus, said the Arizona Department of Health Services.
AZ continues steady drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations; 1,030 new cases, 14 more known deaths reported https://t.co/2PIUpRIRg3
— azcentral (@azcentral) August 3, 2020
In Maricopa County, there are 120,960 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 16,741 in Pima County, 11,203 in Yuma County, 8,301 in Pinal County, 5,284 in Navajo County, 3,084 in Apache County, 2,997 in Coconino County, 2,610 in Santa Cruz County, 3,040 in Mohave County, 1,858 in Yavapai County, 1,557 in Cochise County, 841 in Gila County, 474 in La Paz County, 490 in Graham County and 57 in Greenlee County.
*FREE #COVID19 SALIVA TESTING* Week of 8/3
— ASU Biodesign Institute (@ASUBiodesign) August 3, 2020
Tues/Thurs/Sat: @statefarmstdm
Wed/Fri: Ak-Chin Pavilion
Wed/Fri (Tucson): Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center (walk-in)
▶️ Register below, use agency code PM1jKpGr8
▶️ Arrive at scheduled time
▶️ Bring QR code
*NO ID needed

Arizona, your actions are making a difference. Let’s keep doing what’s working #MaskUpAZ pic.twitter.com/JjXunEDSTa
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) August 3, 2020
A quick reminder that the Primary Election is Tuesday, Aug. 4.
¡El Condado Maricopa alcanza participación historica de la Primaria! Más de 700k votantes han emitido sus boletas en persona o por correo. Los votantes aún pueden votar y devolver sus boletas en persona hoy hasta el Día de la Elección. Visite https://t.co/dw8rgNtgKq. pic.twitter.com/x7I3E2OCwR
— Maricopa County Elections Department (@MaricopaVote) August 2, 2020
There are early vote centers open across Maricopa County where you can vote in-person for the Arizona Aug. 4 primary election.
Have an issue that prevents you from voting on August 4? We have Vote Centers open now across Maricopa County with safety measures in place. Find one at https://t.co/IovBoiPbjk #Elections2020 #BeBallotReady @maricopacounty @MAGregion @AzCities @RecorderFontes @SecretaryHobbs pic.twitter.com/2m9AWRO3RT
— Maricopa County Elections Department (@MaricopaVote) August 3, 2020
Also, know that there will be some changes you see at the polls to prevent COVID-19 infection.
#COVID19 has changed the way we do just about everything and voting in #Arizona‘s primary election will be no exception@jboehm_NEWS explainshttps://t.co/47wTepAPci
— Andrew Oxford (@andrewboxford) August 3, 2020
Need a voter education guide in American Sign Language? There’s one to help.
Voter education guide available in ASL for deaf community https://t.co/jtICDw2HHv #abc15 pic.twitter.com/BbeQzhhtbL
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) August 3, 2020
Looking for a Vote Center? See how to find one. Also, remember to bring your photo ID and your voter registration card or other accepted items to verify your identity.
¿Busca un Centro de Votación para votar en la Primaria de agosto? 20 ubicaciones están abiertos hoy (domingo) 80 el lunes y casi 100 el Día de la Eleccion 4 de agosto. Encuentre uno en https://t.co/dw8rgNtgKq #elecciones2020 @AzCities @AZCounties @CondadoMaricopa pic.twitter.com/RJjotH7T7L
— Maricopa County Elections Department (@MaricopaVote) August 2, 2020
Here are some ideas to make learning at home work for preschool students from edutopia.
These 8 tips can help the littlest learners feel connected to school. ☺️https://t.co/1sPNnmv6BG
— edutopia (@edutopia) August 3, 2020
Arizona State University’s Cronkite School congratulates studets chosen to take part in AEJMC’s Presidential Diversity & Inclusion program for graduate students.
Congrats to our PhD students, @AngelineTaylor, @nisha_sridharan, & Weiwen Yu, who’ve been selected to participate in @AEJMC‘s Presidential Diversity & Inclusion Program for Graduate Students, to be held during #AEJMC2020 Aug. 6-9. We’re proud of our Doctor Devils! 🔱 pic.twitter.com/rxfMk89Nte
— Cronkite School (@Cronkite_ASU) August 3, 2020
University of Arizona law professors talk about where the U.S. Constitution and COVID-19 intersect.
A group of law professors at the UA explore constitutional law in the pandemic. https://t.co/kg9WeIW4dw
— AZPM (@azpublicmedia) August 3, 2020
The Education Trust needs your help with their study of Black student debt.
Do you 1) identify as Black or of African Ancestry & 2) have #StudentLoanDebt? Participate in the first ever National Study of #BlackStudentDebt https://t.co/saipnbbzGw We especially need to hear from #4Profit students or if you had to leave college before receiving a degree.
— The Education Trust (@EdTrust) August 3, 2020
Updated July 31: Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Coury removed the Invest in Education Initiative from the general election ballot on Friday after ruling that the summary was “misleading by its omission of principal provisions” which he said created a “substantial likelihood of confusion for a reasonable Arizona voter.”
In response, the #InvestInEd campaign said it will appeal and take its case to the Arizona Supreme Court, which took the 2018 version of the initiative off the ballot.
“Our state has more than 1.1 million K-12 students that Judge Coury let down today with his judicial activism – and that’s shameful,” said Joe Thomas, president of Arizona Education Association.
Related articles:
New Invest in Ed initiative announced for 2020 ballot
Court ruling impacts Invest in Ed, Save Our Schools initiatives qualifying for ballot
“435,669 voters signed this petition during the COVID-19 pandemic and triple-digit heat to let voters decide how to fix the Arizona education crisis.,” Thomas said.
“Instead of respecting the voters, Judge Coury inserted his own political views throughout his baseless ruling. We will appeal immediately,” Thomas said.
As schools start what will surely be their most difficult year yet, this only emphasizes the need for leaders to provide diverse funding streams for our under-resourced schools. I continue to call on the #AZLeg for more secure school funding & Congress for add’l relief dollars. https://t.co/7a9Uo7DqKS
— Kathy Hoffman (@Supt_Hoffman) August 1, 2020
Updated July 30: Gov. Doug Ducey said there will be more information to come on back-to-school and school athletics in coming weeks as AZ Dept. of Health metrics are developed and released Aug. 7 and that COVID-19 cases are on a downward trajectory at his news conference at 3 p.m. today.
Arizona COVID-19 Briefing with Gov. Ducey, Dr. Christ, Maj. Gen. McGuire – July 30, 2020
“I’m grateful we’re in a better state than we were several weeks ago,” Gov. Ducey said. “All the numbers I’m going to show you today are heading in the right direction.
“Today we’re seeing a downward trajectory in the number of COVID patients needing hospitals beds,” Gov. Ducey said.

“This is evidence that the decisions and actions of Arizonans are making a difference,” Gov. Ducey said.
“It’s really making a difference alon with masking up,” Gov. Ducey said.
School update
Gov. Ducey thanked Supt. of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman for her help ensuring that students and school staff have the safest possible environment as they go back to school.
“We wanted to provide maximum resources and maximum flexibility so we would have options and safety for our parents,” Gov. Ducey said.

“If you want to know what’s going on in your local school district, please check your local website,” Gov. Ducey said.
“In terms of virtual learning, that can begin as soon as the superintendent intends it to, and I know it’s happening already in some parts of our state. The same with on-site support services,” Gov. Ducey said.
“In terms of in-person teacher-led classrooms, there’s going to be more to follow from the Dept. of Health Services and Dept. of Education in terms of guidelines and metrics,” Gov. Ducey said.
“I also want to thank the superintendents, the principals and the teachers for all their input and help as we’ve made these decisions, so that we can really set the standard of having the best possible educational year for every Arizona kid and family and the safest environment that suits that family,” Gov. Ducey said.
“Where we are today is dramatically different than where we were a few weeks ago,” Gov. Ducey said. ‘There will be more to follow around school and sports in coming weeks as the metrics are developed.”
Long-term care, testing developments
Dr. Cara Christ, executive director of Arizona Dept. of Health Services, said that earlier this week Gov. Ducey established the Task Force on Long-Term Care.

“Like all of you we recognize that there are individuals in these facilities who have not had visitors given the pandemic,” Dr. Christ said.
The task force will meet and develop recommendations and metrics to determine how and when visitation in long-term care facilities can be safely resumed,” Dr. Christ said.
“We’re continuing to build lab capacity throughout the state,” Dr. Christ said.
“One of the partners that work with is SonoraQuest. We still continue to see delays, which is frustrating for public health because we would like to get those turnaround times faster so that we can do the contact investigations and make a difference in slowing the spread,” Dr. Christ said.

“SonoraQuest updates us daily, they’re current testing backlot is currently about 29,000. They believe they will have that backlog cleared by this Sunday,” Dr. Christ said.
A lot of people who have had COVID-19 have developed antibodies to it and that can be collected and used as a treatment for people who are critically ill, Dr. Christ said.
Plan of action moving forward
“Moving forward, I want to talk about our plan of action in Arizona,” said Gov. Ducey.
“The actions that we are taking in Arizona are making a difference,” Gov. Ducey said. “We will continue to work this plan as we have the virus with us, which is going to be for the foreseeable future.”

“We’re going to continue to ramp up testing and there’s much that needs to be improved and fixed with testing to identify infections within our state,” Gov. Ducey said.
“You’ll see additional lab capacity and additional collection sites in addition to the 375 that we have today,” Gov. Ducey said.
Gov. Ducey asked all Arizonans to wear a mask, wash your hands, physically distance and whenever they can to stay home.

Gov. Ducey thanked Arizonans for wearing masks saying “it goes a long way to slowing the spread and protecting people.”
Related daily schools & COVID-19 updates:
July 13- July 30: Teachers prepare for digital learning and back to school
June 29 – July 12: Video: Gov. says ‘Goal is to get children back to school when it’s safe’
June 29: Video: Gov. delays in-person classes to Aug. 17 due to rise in COVID-19
June 24: Plan provides more funding, instruction flexibility as schools re-open
June 15 – June 29: Video: Gov. pauses re-opening of some businesses as COVID-19 cases rise
May 26 – 12: Increase in COVID-19 cases marks a new daily high
May 20 – 25: AZ Dept. of Ed releases COVID-19 guidance to schools for summer programs, back to school
May 11 – 19: Arizonans consider workplace safety, what back to school will look like amid COVID-19
April 26 – May 10: Stores re-open, COVID-19 testing blitz resumes on Saturday
April 8 – 25: You can get tested now if you think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19
March 12 – April 7: Coronavirus response: Cases rise; AZ Day of Giving
Many Arizona teachers are calling parents to introduce themselves, remind them of learning device pickup times, and let them know what distance learning, which starts soon for many students due to the high incidence of COVID-19, will look like.
Have questions or need assistance ahead of the new school year? Our school front offices are happy to assist in any way they can. Head here for a list of contact info for each school including main office phone numbers and email addresses. 🔗https://t.co/G5lnFtbBqh pic.twitter.com/OeiIpDmc9Z
— Dysart School District (@DysartUSD) July 30, 2020
Madison Elementary School District provides parents with answers to frequently asked questions about online learning.
Please click on the link below to access the On-site Online Learning Frequently Asked Questions page on the District website. Families will have the opportunity to select this option, if needed, during Registration Days next week (August 4, 5 and 6). https://t.co/VG2lgRCfzW pic.twitter.com/FAlOzmCGYO
— Madison ESD (@MadisonAZ) July 30, 2020
Tolleson Union High School joined the growing number of schools delaying in-person instruction until the end of the first quarter in a recent letter to students’ families and guardians. Meanwhile, students will take part in online learning that starts on Aug. 4.
Important Information from the Tolleson Union High School District pic.twitter.com/QGquOnjm56
— Tolleson UHSD (@TollesonUhsd) July 30, 2020
An Arizona teacher whose school district will have teachers providing online instruction from their classrooms instead of from home learned it would cost him $2,000 in fees to quit and break his contract.
There’s nothing new about liquidated damages fees. But teachers are more fearful than ever about returning to the classroom and the pandemic raises questions over these fees.
— Lily Altavena🌵 (@lilyalta) July 30, 2020
#TEACHERS WITH KIDS AT HOME —How are you going to juggle back to school? Are you getting any help from family, friends, your school? What options do you have with this open- ended return to school online now?? DM me if you don’t want to share publicly https://t.co/KHN3axlgeg
— Nicole Crites (@NicoleCritesTV) July 30, 2020
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose to 170,798 today from 168,273 yesterday, and 3,626 have died from the virus, said the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Test Positive Ratios (7/30)
— The AZ – abc15 – Data Guru (@Garrett_Archer) July 30, 2020
1. Cases to PCR Tests: 21.3%
2. Cases to All Tests: 18.2%
3. est. PCR Positives to PCR Tests: <14.6%
In Maricopa County, there are 114,852 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 15,884 in Pima County, 10,761 in Yuma County, 7,875 in Pinal County, 5,182 in Navajo County, 2,969 in Apache County, 2,933 in Coconino County, 2,577 in Santa Cruz County, 2,865 in Mohave County, 1,698 in Yavapai County, 1,467 in Cochise County, 778 in Gila County, 468 in La Paz County, 435 in Graham County and 54 in Greenlee County.
What started as three people wanting to do something to help during the pandemic has grown into a grassroots group of 65 volunteers. Sewing Masks for Tucson has given away about 17,000 masks to date. More at: https://t.co/4E3FOQSr0W pic.twitter.com/XS5ZHgs2cR
— Josh Galemore (@joshgalemore) July 30, 2020

Earlier coverage
July 13- July 30: Teachers prepare for digital learning and back to school
June 29 – July 12: Video: Gov. says ‘Goal is to get children back to school when it’s safe;’ Schools lay out learning models
June 29: Video: Gov. delays in-person classes to Aug. 17 due to rise in COVID-19
Updates from June 15 – June 29: Video: Gov. pauses re-opening of some businesses as COVID-19 cases rise
June 24: Plan provides more funding, flexible instruction as schools re-open
Updates from May 26 – June 12: Increase in COVID-19 cases marks a new daily high
Updates from May 20 – 25: AZ Dept. of Ed releases COVID-19 guidance to schools for summer programs, back to school
Updates from May 11 – 19: Arizonans consider workplace safety, what back to school will look like amid COVID-19
Updates from April 26 – May 10: Stores re-open, COVID-19 testing blitz resumes on Saturday
Updates from April 8 – 25: You can get tested now if you think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19
Updates from March 12 – April 7: Coronavirus response: Cases rise; AZ Day of Giving