California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday released strict new rules that mean most students in the state will start the year learning remotely.
Meanwhile, leaders in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest school district, released a framework to bring students back to classrooms in the fall, albeit in a “hybrid” model involving some at-home learning.
In California, a county cannot return to in-person learning until it has been off of the state’s COVID-19 “watchlist” for 14 straight days, said Mr. Newsom, a Democrat. More than half of the state’s 58 counties are on the list, which monitors elevated transmission of the novel coronavirus.
Once schools reopen, they will be asked to follow California health protocols, including requiring masks for staff and students from third grade and up. Districts also will be required to keep student desks 6 feet apart, limit sharing of supplies, perform health screenings, and consider suspending the use of drinking fountains.
In Chicago, authorities said the declining rate of COVID-19 cases in Illinois was a deciding factor in adopting a plan to bring students back to the classroom, if even for a few days a week.
“Our shared sacrifices helped flatten the curve in our state and allowed us to evaluate reopening schools in the fall,” said Janice K. Jackson, chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools, and LaTanya D. McDade, chief education Officer, in a statement Friday.
Chicago Public Schools say they will solicit feedback from parents on their “preliminary” framework, which includes plans to screen children, bring half of students into a building “on any given day,” and mandate facial coverings. They plan to release a final plan in August.
The duel announcements spotlight school districts’ challenges in starting the school year as coronavirus cases nationwide rise. While some teachers’ unions and health officials have encouraged remote learning as necessary to curb the virus’ spread, a more immediate return to in-person learning has been urged by groups ranging from the American Academy of Pediatrics to President Trump.
Health officials in Illinois reported 1,384 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, with an additional 22 fatalities.
California officials announced nearly 10,000 new additional cases and 116 additional deaths on Thursday.
• Christopher Vondracek can be reached at cvondracek@washingtontimes.com.
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