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Draft Plan Details How State Will Reopen Schools, Districts Balk at Costs

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A draft plan of how Gov. Gavin Newsom expects schools to reopen safely in the coming school year is being met with skepticism from districts across the state, which are facing deep budget cuts.

The details of the plan, first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and EdSource, show the state giving significant leeway to individual districts to work in tandem with their public health departments on what best safety practices would be. However, recommendations include students and teachers wearing masks, hand washing stations, staggering student arrival times and the spacing of students from each other and teachers in classrooms both inside and outside.

Demetrio Gonzalez, president of the United Teachers of Richmond, questioned how following the governor's directives would be possible, given looming budget cuts.

"How can we have an open schools with decreased class sizes, with new schedules, with more technology, when actually the state is proposing cuts for education and for districts like ours?" Gonzalez asked. "We're already facing a deficit and constraints in the budget."

Teachers unions have expressed concern about teacher safety if schools reopen, especially if they're expected to take on the role of nurses in administering temperature checks — something that State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has said would be needed.

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The Los Angeles Unified School District has said it will not consider reopening school campuses without additional resources to ensure safety, including "a robust system of COVID-19 tracing and contact tracing." The district currently serves 825,000 students.

The California Department of Education said it would release guidelines for schools soon. The governor's office has said the plan is a draft and is not final.

— Julia McEvoy (@juliamcevoy1)

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