In a state-wide address Friday, July 17, California Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced guidance that will be used to determine if and when school reopening can happen safely.

Newsom explained that the criteria for schools to reopen for in-person instruction will depend on local county health department data. School reopening will also be contingent on the county’s status on the state’s monitoring list.

“We are now putting forth guidelines that say based on the data, based upon the background spread, the community spread of the virus, that if you are not on that monitoring list, you can move forward as a county, if you choose, and physically open your campus,” Newsom said.

California Pandemic Plan for Schools

The state’s pandemic plan for schools includes face masks, social distancing and other adaptations.

Face masks on campus will also be a requirement, according to Newsom. Students in third grade and older will be required to wear face masks on campus, at all times. Social distancing will also be required for students and staff in the event in-person instruction is possible.

On June 17, Irvine Unified School District’s Board of Education approved several academic models that consist of distance learning, hybrid learning and traditional in-person models, that have been modified for social distancing.

The board also voted on the use of face masks and social distancing when in-person instruction begins.

However, the Orange County Board Of Education became the center of controversy when it adopted a school reopening plan that did not include face coverings, or social distancing.

Irvine Unified is set to begin on August 20. IUSD is now asking families to select an academic model that works best for their children by July 19.

However, as Orange County is currently on the state’s monitoring list, the district will be forced to use distance learning until the county is no longer being monitored.

A statement from the district indicated that parents will receive more information about their neighborhood school reopening from the school’s principal.

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