Schools chief says districts will decide when to reopen
“I want to be clear: Opening will happen in a way where we place safety first.”
Tony Thurmond, California superintendent of public instruction
California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Wednesday that each of the state’s nearly 1,000 school districts will decide when it’s best to reopen their campuses for classroom instruction.
Thurmond, speaking during a Facebook Live session, said his department will provide guidance on how to reopen, based on recommendations from a task force studying the imposing logistical challenges. He offered few specifics Wednesday, asking students and parents to stay tuned in the weeks ahead.
“We are not anticipating a common opening across school districts, or a mandate for when districts open,” Thurmond said. “We recognize some districts may choose to open early. That’s a great way to address equity needs and the needs of our community.
“I want to be clear: Opening will happen in a way where we place safety first.
We won’t ask any school to open their campus to students if we cannot point to data, and consultation from our health partners and workplace safety experts.”
The state’s more than 6.2 million students abruptly moved to online classes in midMarch because of the coronavirus pandemic. School districts across California, after deciding to stay online through the end of the academic year, now are contemplating how to reopen for the 202021 academic year.
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently added an unexpected wrinkle to the deliberations when he suggested schools could reopen by late July or early August to help address learning loss during the closure.
Students, faculty and staff might have to wear face masks when they do return to campus, Thurmond said. He also acknowledged many schools are considering staggering attendance, with morning and afternoon “shifts” of students.
“That may be a way to accommodate the need to have much smaller class sizes, so campuses can reopen with social distancing provisions in place,” Thurmond said.
Thurmond admitted learning loss is a concern. Some school districts gave students an extended spring break, essentially, to allow teachers to prepare for distance learning. That was a logical step, but it added to a preexisting problem.
“Even before the pandemic hit, we had an achievement gap in this state and this country,” Thurmond said. “So we want to try to overcome this. We’re thinking through how to support the acceleration and growth of learning.”
Thurmond and other state officials are grappling with all this at a time of rampant economic uncertainty. He spoke of dramatic declines in revenue for education, and he’s bracing for “difficult times ahead” when Newsom announces midyear revisions in the state budget.
“We don’t know the details yet,” Thurmond said, “but we are anticipating a very difficult budget, a lean budget.”