The California schools superintendent said Wednesday he expects school for the state's 6 million students to resume as usual in late August or September, but with classes that look radically different to maintain social distancing standards.
Tony Thurmond, state superintendent of public instruction, said he expects a mix of in-person and distance learning with fewer children in classes, hallways and other common areas as campuses try to halt the spread of the coronavirus. Students will likely wear masks, as will teachers and staff.
University of California President Janet Napolitano gave a similar forecast Wednesday for how the system's 10 campuses may look come fall, telling a Board of Regents meeting she expects "most if not all of our campuses will operate in some kind of hybrid mode." Campuses are still making decisions on their fall scenarios, which may be finalized in June, she said.
News that K-12 school districts were planning to open as usual in late summer is likely a relief to parents, although the changes required to welcome back students appear daunting. Thurmond said there’s no way schools can open safely without enough masks, sanitizer and wash stations.
He made his remarks in advance of a virtual meeting Thursday with representatives of 1,000 districts.