When and how will Fresno-area schools reopen? California says to prepare for big changes

When elementary and high schools reopen in the fall, students may have to get used to a new reality of hybrid scheduling, face masks, and social distancing, California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced Wednesday.

The California Department of Education will use the coming weeks to work with the nearly 1,000 districts in the state on reopening guidelines, Thurmond said in a Zoom news conference.

Each district will decide when to reopen, but it is not likely that children will return earlier than usual, as Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested in April.

“Most districts are planning to open at their normal dates in late August and September,” Thurmond said, “but the California Department of Education is working with school districts to chart and track when they open and to provide guidance to help school districts identify the ways to safely reopen.”

Parents and students should also be ready for hybrid learning, Thurmond continued. Similar to what many colleges in the state have announced, K-12 education could mix distance learning with in-person classes.

“We’ve heard from different districts who are thinking that reopening might mean a blend of styles of education,” he said. “A number of schools are planning to offer some form of distance learning because they’ve been receiving those requests from parents.”

Social distancing guidelines would lead to smaller class sizes, and masks would be mandatory.

“It is believed that we’ll have to sanitize schools down every day, sometimes multiple times a day,” he said.

Budget cuts

Six school districts in California: Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego and Long Beach, have said they will not reopen on time based on the governor’s proposed budget, the Associated Press reported Monday.

Thurmond said he hopes the looming budget cuts will be offset by federal funding.

“It’s very important for us to receive more federal funding in order to offset those cuts because we believe that our school districts cannot reopen safely if they have to implement these kinds of cuts.”

Updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention direct schools to only reopen if they have plans in place to protect children and employees who are at higher risk for the coronavirus. Schools should also have a monitoring system in place and be able to promote hygienic practices, such as hand washing and limiting the number of people in one area.

Fresno and Clovis Unified

It’s too early for Fresno and Clovis Unified school districts to make any decisions for the fall, district officials said Wednesday.

“We are currently looking at all possible options in case we can return to classes at our schools in August,” FUSD spokesperson Vanessa Ramirez said in a statement.

“Our planning includes taking into account recommendations from the health department as well as budget and personnel issues. So far, no specific decision has been made, but discussions and analysis of all factors continue. We take into consideration and as a priority the well-being of our students and their families.”

“Our intention is to open on time on August 17,” said Clovis Unified spokesperson Kelly Avants. “What that will look like on a day-to-day basis is something we have a committee working on to complete.”

Central Unified officials could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab on our website.

This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 2:24 PM.