Gov. Newsom calls for full reopening of schools by fall
Lara Korte
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday urged schools to prepare for "full, in-person instruction" this fall as coronavirus rates drop and vaccinations ramp up across the state, but he stopped short of saying he'd hand down an executive order to force open classrooms.
So far, more than 9,000 of California's 11,000 schools have opened for in-person instruction or have announced a date for a return to classrooms.
More than 23 million vaccinations have been distributed throughout California, and the state's COVID-19 positivity rate is less than 2%. Starting Thursday, all Californians 16 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. By June 15, the state intends to fully reopen businesses.
Newsom said he expects a full school reopening to follow by the normal start of the academic year, but it will depend on the willingness of schools and educators to come back.
California has more than 1,000 school districts, and reopening conditions must be negotiated with labor groups representing teachers and classified employees. Some districts have struggled to find common ground with their employees.
"We can do this, and we must do it. And we must do it sustainably, and we must prepare now for full in-person instruction come this next school year," Newsom said. "In order to do that we have to prove that we can safely do this, prove that we can continue the progress we made."
The governor has been criticized by some parent groups and Republican lawmakers for not taking a more forceful stance in reopening schools earlier in the year. Meanwhile, the administration continues to face pressure from teachers unions and school employees who are worried about the virus spreading in the event of a return to classrooms.
Newsom and legislative leaders earlier this year passed a $6.6 billion reopening package for schools. It included $2 billion to help districts resume in-person instruction by April 1. California schools are in line to receive even more money from the latest federal coronavirus stimulus bill signed by President Joe Biden.
Newsom on Wednesday urged schools to take advantage of the billions of dollars in state and federal funding to safely get students back in the classrooms, though he stopped short of saying he would force them to do so.
"Use this money to extend learning opportunities, extend the school day, extend the school year. Who says you have to end on June 15, who says that? We're not saying that, we're saying the opposite. That's what I want to offer: that flexibility," Newsom said.
A law Newsom signed last year laid out requirements for districts to offer distance learning during the pandemic. Unless the Legislature takes action to extend it, those policies will expire at the end of the 2021 school year.
Newsom said he is working with the Legislature to advance in-person instruction in a "more formal way" while still respecting the various voices in school communities.
"I don't have a closed fist on this, I have an open hand, but I hope they have an open heart. The consequences of delay are profound, particularly for our diverse communities. If they need more, let me know what more you need. This is real money we're putting up. Money is not an object now, it's an excuse," he said.
"Reopen California Schools," a volunteer-run organization of families advocating for the return to classrooms, said Newsom's messaging won't help students get the level of in-person instruction they need. Some schools are currently reopening with as little as one in-person day a week.
"Our social contract with schools has been broken," the group said in a statement. "Newsom cannot continue to pretend his words alone will make a difference. He must mandate all K-12 schools offer real, substantial, full-time, in-person learning now."