Oakland public schools could reopen within weeks

Oakland students could start heading back to classrooms within weeks, with district officials informing parents this week that it’s critical to reopen schools, starting with the youngest children and most atrisk students across all grades.

The goal is to reopen the first schools by mid to late March, according to a letter the school board sent to families Wednesday.

The district’s desire to reopen within the next month comes amid a growing call for schools to bring students back to class given the negative academic and mental health impact of distance learning for many students. In recent weeks, there have been protests, lawsuits and legislation in California aimed at encouraging or requiring district and labor leaders to resume inperson learning. More Bay Area districts are starting to bring students back though some teachers and staff have resisted reopening, saying they’re fearful of returning until they’re fully vaccinated.

“This has been a stressful time with countless challenges, but we have seen many school systems across the country successfully open with sufficient precautions in place to educate students safely,” according to the letter. “It seems that everyone has come to appreciate like never before how much students benefit from being together in a classroom.”

A return to classrooms is predicated on the district reaching an agreement with the teachers union.

School board President Shanthi Gonzales said the board felt it was important “to share we know students are really suffering and it’s time.”

“We really have to make some movement to get some students back on campus,” she said.

In addition to the impact on students, Gonzales said the district must also stem the flight of families out of the district.

Oakland Unified is down 900 students this year out of a total enrollment of about 36,000.

“Families are opting to schlep their kids to another district where they can get inperson learning,” she said. “We have an imperative, a real threat to the district in a significant loss of enrollment. It’s already happening.”

Alameda Unified announced a deal with teachers Wednesday to reopen elementary schools, with a scheduled return to inperson learning on March 15.

The district has submitted their reopening plan to county officials and has prepared classrooms and schools for students. An agreement with labor leaders would be the last major hurdle required to reopen, given declining case rates in Alameda County.

Union leaders said they expected to meet with Superintendent Kyla JohnsonTrammell on Thursday afternoon and “might have an update after that.”

“We are hopeful we can reach an agreement,” said Bethany Meyer, spokeswoman for the Oakland Education Association, which represents teachers. “Both sides are negotiating in good faith.”

Meyer said the union brought a new reopening proposal to the district Wednesday and looked forward to a counter proposal today. Meyer said previous proposals by the union have allowed teachers to voluntarily return to teach small, stable groups of the highestneed students.

Alameda County is in the most restrictive purple tier currently, but likely to move into red in the coming days.

Many Oakland teachers have already received the vaccine with more scheduled in the coming days and weeks, district officials said.

The board asked families to fill out an “intent to return” form by March 2 to provide the district an estimate of how many students would want inperson instruction.

Based on interest, the district would be able to start planning, matching up students and teachers at school sites. The district will continue to offer distance learning for those who want it.

It’s likely returning students would participate in a hybrid schedule, attending inperson part of the week or part of the day.

The priority would be preschool and elementary students as well as those in higher grades with special needs, those who are homeless and others with barriers to distance learning.

While middle and high school students — except for high priority groups — wouldn’t likely return for inperson instruction, the board said it plans to offer other opportunities.

“In grades 612, our current thinking is instruction may remain primarily in distance learning until the end of the school year,” they said, “but all students should have the option of inperson socioemotional and academic support, and extracurricular activities.”

Rachel Teisch, a single mom with twin firstgrade boys, said the board’s commitment to reopening in the near future was “fantastic news” and she looked forward to her sons returning to their Hillcrest Elementary classrooms.

“I’m ready to go back, ready, ready, ready,” she said. “My boys are ready.

“It’s been a tough year.”