Lawmakers reached an agreement to return most California students to classrooms by the end of March.
The agreement combines proposals from Governor Gavin Newsom and the California legislature and will provide up to $ 6.6 billion to return schools to face-to-face learning.
Of that total, $ 2 billion will be made available to schools that bring students back by March 30.
Schools will be eligible for their share of the $ 2 billion incentive as soon as they resume classes for at least students in kindergarten through transition to second grade.
The rest of the funding, $ 4.6 billion, is intended to help schools make up for lost learning time or, as Newsom calls it, “reimagining the school year”, which could include longer school days and / or summer school.
Ultimately, the reopening decisions are up to the superintendents of each district, not the state. Funding, which is mainly intended for personal protective equipment, better ventilation and other safety protocols, may well provide the incentive that districts need.
Some teacher unions, including United Teacher Los Angeles (UTLA), which represents educators in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), hesitated to resume classes until teachers have a chance to be vaccinated.
As of today, the group of people eligible to receive a vaccine in Los Angeles has expanded to include educators.
LAUSD, the country’s second largest district, has guaranteed 25,000 doses of vaccine for teachers and staff, who will initially focus on inoculating people who already work in schools, preschools and elementary school teachers, according to Superintendent Austin Beutner.
Meanwhile, UTLA members are voting today whether they will agree to return before the team has full access to vaccines and safety conditions are implemented.
The agreement specifies that districts can resume classes regardless of whether unions sign or not.