Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered an update on the requirements for schools to reopen in-person, the plan for distance learning, and California's response to coronavirus. You can read highlights below or watch the full press conference above.
HOW TO REOPEN SCHOOLS
Schools can physically reopen this fall — but only if they've been off the state's COVID-19 monitoring list for 14 days. If schools don't meet this requirement, they have to start the fall with distance learning. The L.A. Unified School District has already announced that it will be opening with distance learning this fall.
While students, teachers, staff, and parents prefer in-classroom instruction, that's only if it can be done safely, Newsom said, adding that safety is determined by local health data.
Learning in California is non-negotiable, Newsom said, adding that schools must provide meaningful instruction during the pandemic — whether or not they're physically open. However, safety is also non-negotiable for both staff and students, he said.
The governor laid out five elements of the state's school pandemic plan:
- Safe in-person school based on local health data
- Mask requirements
- Physical distancing + other adaptations
- Regular testing + dedicated contact tracing
- Rigorous distance learning
All school staff and students in third grade and above must wear masks under the new guidelines. Students in second grade and below are encouraged to wear masks or face shields, but are not required to do so. The ability to see expressions through face shields is important for younger children, the governor said.
Staff have to maintain at least six feet of distance with other staff and students. The school day should start with symptom checks, Newsom said, and there are expectations around hand washing stations, sanitation and disinfection, and quarantine protocols. Each school site must also have continuity and attendance plans.
There is a requirement to test rotating cohorts of staff regularly, and the state contact tracing workforce will prioritize schools.
When it comes to distance learning, new statewide requirements include:
- Access to devices and connectivity for all kids
- Daily live interaction with teachers and other students
- Challenging assignments equivalent to in-person classes
- Adapted lessons for English language learners and special education students
The state put out criteria for when schools should close due to COVID-19 after previously reopening for in-person instruction:
- Schools should consult with a public health officer first
- A classroom cohort goes home when there is a confirmed case
- A school goes home when multiple cohorts have cases or more than 5% of the school is positive
- A district closes all schools if 25% of their schools are closed within a 14-day period
The guidelines include public and private schools through twelfth grade — the state is working with higher education leaders on guidelines for colleges.
The state is also putting up money to help students who can't afford the tools for distance learning. California has invested $5.3 billion in additional funding to prioritize equity in learning, Newsom said.
Additional standards and guidance will be coming on how to help students with special needs, State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond said during the press conference. One of the tools under consideration is the Zoom breakout room, to give students individual attention.
Officials have been training educators on teaching best practices for both distance learning and for students with special needs, according to Darling-Hammond.
Newsom said that today's announcement was personal for him as a father of four young children. He declined to comment on whether moving more slowly on reopenings would have allowed more schools to reopen this fall.
LATEST CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS
There were 9,986 new COVID-19 cases yesterday — the seven-day average is 8,838.
The positivity rate is down modestly, Newsom said — the 14-day positivity rate is 7.4%, while the seven-day rate is 7.1%. That's a 7.3% increase over that period, Newsom said.
There were 129,000 people tested, Newsom said — the average is 124,000 tests per day. The goal remains to increase testing, he added, though the focus of who gets tested is shifting.
COVID-19 hospitalizations are continuing to increase — a 22% increase over the past 14 days, from 5,595 to 6,808.
COVID-19 patients are occupying 9.2% of the state's total hospital beds, while 63% total are occupied.
ICU admissions are up 15% over the past two weeks to 1,941. That makes up 16.6% of the state's total ICU beds.
Thirty-two of the state's 58 counties are now on the state's COVID-19 monitoring list, though it's likely to go up to 33 soon, Newsom said.
There is a higher utilization of ventilators in Stanislaus, Imperial, and Tulare County in particular, Newsom said. Napa and other counties don't have a lot of ICU capacity remaining, he added, but the state hospital system is set up to absorb patients from other counties.
Newsom reminded people to wear a mask, physically distance, wash your hands, and minimize mixing to keep COVID-19 from spreading.
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