Bill would force schools to open when virus dips
California’s public schools would be forced to reopen when case counts dip and county officials give the goahead under proposed state legislation by San Francisco Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting.
The bill would require schools to resume inperson learning within two weeks of their county moving into red, orange or yellow tiers. Most counties have recently returned to the most stringent purple tier due to the new surge.
The bill, if passed, would go into effect March 1.
The legislation allows districts to choose whether to use a hybrid model — a combination of distance learning and inperson classes — or all inperson learning.
It does not apply to private schools.
So far, reopening public schools is a local decision, with each of the state’s 1,000 school boards deciding when and how to reopen. Most, including San Francisco, Oakland and other large districts, have not returned to inperson instruction even when case counts pushed many communities into the yellow tier, which allows for the immediate reopening of schools with county approval.
The legislation, AB10, could push local district and public charter schools that have been unable or unwilling to reopen to be ready to bring students back into classrooms when case counts drop again.
Yet it’s unclear how the state could force schools to reopen. The public school system relies on local control, and reopening requires labor buyin as well as pandemic-ready facilities as well as protocols to mitigate outbreaks.
“As a father, I worry about all the learning loss occurring and the millions of kids who are falling behind, as a result of our sole reliance on remote teaching — not to
mention the impacts of social isolation,” Ting said in announcing the legislation. “Schools in other states and countries have prioritized inperson learning during COVID19 and have done so without major outbreaks. California ought to follow that path.”
With a vaccine imminent, it’s possible reopening schools will be easier in the coming months, especially if teachers are given priority in receiving the shots, as some San Francisco officials hope will be the case.
Ting noted that many districts have reopened across the state and elsewhere safely. New York City reopened schools again on Monday after shutting down for two weeks because of rising coronavirus caseloads.
In California, schools reopening would still require authorization from local health officials, who could impose stricter rules for inperson learning than the state requires.
In San Francisco, the school board voted to start reopening schools on Jan. 28, with only a small number of students returning. There are no specific dates set for all students to return.
“Unless we have the materials and funding to make this happen safely, schools can’t just open up,” said school board Vice President Gabriela López. “If the state is willing to support these efforts, I am excited to work together.”
County health officials across the state have been allowing schools to reopen for months, as long as they have met local requirements. Many districts have just not applied to reopen, saying they are not logistically ready or do not have the buyin among teachers and other labor groups.
“Schools should be ready to open as soon as public health authorities allow it,” said coauthor Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell, DLong Beach. “Distance learning is ineffective for many students. We must bring students back into the classroom with safety measures in place as soon as possible to prevent further learning loss.”