Back To School: CA Lawmakers Reach Deal For In-Class Instruction

CALIFORNIA — Nearly a year after most public schools first shuttered because of the pandemic, children in California could see the inside of a classroom again by the end of March, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday from Franklin Elementary School in Elk Grove.

A plan between the governor and lawmakers would give public schools $6.6 billion from the state if they agree to resume in-person instruction by March 31, Newsom said.

Democrats Newsom, state Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon agreed to the bill Sunday after months of deliberation. The Legislature is expected to vote on the proposal Thursday.

"We're seeing vaccinations increase. We're seeing the positivity in case rates decrease, though we are seeing a little bit of a plateau, and one needs to be mindful of that as we begin this transition to in-person instruction, as we begin to transition to safely reopening our economy," Newsom said. "But you can't reopen your economy unless you get your schools reopened for in-person instruction."

Newsom, who is the subject of a formidable recall effort, faced intensifying pressure from constituents for weeks to reach a deal. The state may finally be able to incentivize districts with new funding to resume in-person learning as it makes strides to vaccinate teachers.

"Children have been suffering with anxiety and depression and other types of things related to being isolated and the challenges of the pandemic," said pediatrician and state Sen. Richard Pan. "And so it's very important that we work together to try to bring back in-person learning in a safe manner."

The state on Monday also began setting aside 10 percent of its weekly vaccine allotment for educators. But the proposal does not require all students and staff to be vaccinated before they return to the classroom.

"We cannot make up the time … that our kids, our young people, have lost," Atkins said Monday. "So we’re going to have to make up for that in a different way, and that’s part of what this funding is for."

The agreement would set aside $6.6 billion for schools, including $2 billion to help bolster in-person instruction by providing protective gear, improving spacing and ventilation in classrooms and dealing with other health issues, Newsom said.

The remaining $4.6 billion would be set aside for wellness and to allow districts to "reimagine the school year," Newsom said. That could include giving schools the ability to consider extending the school year into the summer.

For each instructional day districts don't meet these requirements, the amount of money they can receive will fall by 1 percent.

The plan would start by returning students at least through second grade to classrooms in counties that are in the purple tier of the state's coronavirus reopening plan. The plan would require testing for schools in the purple tier but would exempt schools that have already reopened or have plans to reopen in March.

"We're not waiting to get out of this purple tier in order to get our kids safely back into in-person instruction," Newsom said "...we're not slowing down..."

A majority of the state's counties remain purple, but at least seven counties will move out of that widespread tier on Tuesday, Newsom said.

Districts in counties that are in the substantial or red tier can reopen classrooms for all elementary school grades, plus one grade in middle and high school, officials said. As of Monday, only nine counties sat in the red tier, representing 4.1 percent of the population.

The bill would also ensure more funding for schools that serve mostly low-income students. Districts would get an additional $1,000 for each homeless student enrolled, officials said.

To receive the funding, districts will be required to have in-person instruction for special populations of students in every grade, officials said. This includes the disabled, foster youth, homeless, English learners, students without access to technology and students at risk of abuse and neglect.

“We start with cohorts of those with greatest need, with greatest risk,” Newsom said.

The plan would get California's public school students back in classrooms two months later than Newsom previously proposed in late December.

“We are rowing in the same direction finally, I think we are at the dock together unified,” Atkins said Monday.