Santa Clara County Announces Plans To Reopen Schools This Fall

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — The Santa Clara County Office of Education said Thursday it plans to reopen schools countywide for the fall semester for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to suddenly close in March.

The SCCOE said it made the announcement in partnership with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.

The County Office of Education said it’s planning for a semester that will see a mixture of face-to-face and distance learning. It said it’s prioritizing student safety.

Santa Clara County Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan said more details of the reopening plan will be announced July 1.

“This planning process requires thoughtful, intentional, and deliberate efforts on the part of school leaders to create the conditions for schools to reopen safely. At the same time, the challenge to provide for the physical, social, and academic needs of students will be critical in this new environment,” Dewan said.

“As the planning process becomes quite detailed and nuanced, it is necessary to hold on to some guiding principles as teams engage in this work that will center on protecting the safety and health of students, staff and families.”

The Stronger Together Resources, that include a guide, FAQs, an action planning template, and other elements important to the process of reopening schools, can be found on the SCCOE Stronger Together webpage, and will continue to be updated for all schools as new information becomes available.

In addition to the Stronger Together Resources, last week the SCCOE announced a survey provided for parents throughout the county that is intended to gauge their experiences with distance learning and needs and concerns regarding school reopening.

The topics addressed in the survey include among others, how parents have received and accessed information during school closures, perspectives about the eventual reopening of physical school buildings, and their experiences with distance learning.

The survey data will assist schools and the County Office of Education with their planning process for the fall. The survey will be open until Friday, June 12.

“We are all eager to have answers so that families across the county can make plans,” Dewan said. "An announcement with an update of how schools may open in the fall is anticipated by Wednesday, July 1st. Updates will be shared regularly over the summer.”

Additional countywide updates and learning resources are posted on the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s COVID-19 Learning Resources Portal at www.sccoe.org. Public Health Updates can be found on the Santa Clara County COVID-19 website.