Over the past few months, Learning Forward has convened educators to share support in navigating the COVID-19 crisis. Through webinars, our online community, and individual conversations, we have heard educators’ needs evolve week by week. Many education systems focused initially on food and safety and then on internet connectivity and devices. Throughout these stages, systems have been reducing bureaucratic requirements in favor of meeting the basic needs of students and educators in real time. In early April, Learning Forward — which helped write the definition of professional learning in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) — supported the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to waive some funding requirements so districts would have more flexibility in how to use professional learning dollars. The waivers included a