States Rethinking Instructional Time and Attendance Policies in the COVID-19 Era​

A recent report from KnowledgeWorks, Evidence of Learning: How States are Rethinking Instructional Time and Attendance Policies in the COVID-19 Era, explores how states are rethinking instructional time and attendance policies. 

Education Policy Strategies’ Maria Worthen contributed to the report, which highlights state-level innovation around seat time policies. Typically students receive their credentials– and schools are funded– based on seat time. However, the impact of COVID-19 accelerated the interest in disrupting these policies. These changes include creating state bodies and spaces to review existing policies, giving states and districts flexibility to think differently about seat time, and redefining seat time altogether.

The report presents examples from ten states enacting policies that introduce flexibility in instructional time. This article asks policymakers to question what instructional time really means and how policymakers can better support new, student-centered learning models.

The full report is available here.