NYSED Releases Guidance on Supporting the Graduating Class of 2021

The State Education Department recently released a guidance memo that builds upon the previous school reopening guidance to describe specific strategies and supports that schools should have in place to support graduating high school seniors during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s high school seniors are in a unique position due to the pandemic and may experience difficulty transitioning to college or the workforce. In addition, the feelings of anxiety or loss from missing out on many of the typical experiences associated with the last years of high school may continue to have an impact on these students well beyond graduation. Consistent with SED’s framework for school reopening, SED urges schools to continue programs already in place to help students during this transition, and to make every effort to provide enhanced support to all groups of graduating high school seniors so that they can successfully transition to college or the workforce.

From an academic standpoint, high schools are urged to continue to ensure instructional continuity for graduating high school seniors. Schools are also reminded of the flexibility to meet “unit of study” requirements provided by recent amendment to the Commissioner’s Regulations. This amendment expanded the definition of “unit of study” to explicitly include “alternative instructional experiences,” such as digital technology or blended learning, and to require that any alternative instructional experience must include “meaningful feedback on student assignments and methods of tracking student engagement.”

The memo encourages schools to meet students’ social-emotional needs by providing strategies and virtual support to families to address the anxiety, uncertainty and loss that may result from pandemic-related impacts on their lives. SED recommends engaging parents and partners with clear and consistent communication.

School counselors should continue to work with all seniors on education or career planning. If schools are in remote instruction mode, high school counselors and other school staff may offer virtual office hours via telephone, video chat or email. SED warns that the risk of “summer melt”—when students enroll in college but do not matriculate in the fall—may be a bigger risk this year. School counselors can mitigate the impact of COVID-19 by helping graduating seniors to stay on track and complete all registration forms, including financial aid, health, and housing forms. In particular, the rates of completion for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are much lower than this time last year. SED encourages high schools to consider conducting regular and ongoing individual outreach to seniors who have not yet completed the FAFSA.

Finally, while it is unknown how the COVID-19 pandemic might impact end-of-year traditions and ceremonies, SED recommends that schools start planning for such events earlier than usual. This will give students more of an opportunity to participate in planning alternative ways to celebrate their accomplishments and successes.

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