OCDE Education in the News

Friday, March 12, 2021

OCDE NEWSROOM

COVID-19 update: Production delay means no new Johnson & Johnson appointments at school PODs next week

The Orange County Health Care Agency says a production delay has tightened up supplies of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine that’s currently administered by OC School PODs. As a result, OCDE will not receive any new allocations of Johnson & Johnson the week of March 15. All current appointments for school employees will be honored, including second doses of Moderna. Meanwhile, OCDE is expecting to receive more shipments of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine soon, and future appointments will be scheduled accordingly.

https://newsroom.ocde.us/coronavirus-update/

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Mission Viejo football opener vs. La Habra in jeopardy after positive COVID-19 tests in program

The La Habra and Mission Viejo football game scheduled for Friday night was in doubt late Thursday because of potential exposure to COVID-19 by players in the Mission Viejo program. Mission Viejo learned Thursday that there had been positive tests for the coronavirus by several players in its program, but perhaps not on the varsity team. Scheduled freshman and junior varsity games between La Habra and Mission Viejo on Thursday afternoon were canceled.

https://www.ocregister.com/2021/03/11/mission-viejo-football-opener-vs-la-habra-in-jeopardy-after-positive-covid-19-tests-in-program/

SACRAMENTO BEE

A Sacramento district’s plan to open secondary schools was denied. Now it wants state OK

Many Folsom Cordova Unified elementary students have been back on campus since November, but district officials are facing hurdles as they try to bring back middle school and high school students.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article249848273.html

California to offer affordable rapid COVID tests to school districts returning to campus

California is offering affordable rapid COVID-19 testing to school employees and students returning to campuses in an effort to help prevent the spread of the virus.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article249834608.html

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

SFUSD board approves plan to reopen schools after year of distance learning

After months of debate and deadlock, the San Francisco school board approved plans to allow children in younger grades to return to some level of in-person learning starting April 12. But middle and high school students will still likely not go back into classrooms for the rest of this school year.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/SFUSD-school-board-approves-plan-to-reopen-San-16019558.php

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

COVID: Studies show students are safe with less distancing

As infection rates fall and more teachers receive vaccines, one of the biggest remaining hurdles to reopening schools is the difficulty of spacing students six feet apart, as recommended by federal and state health authorities. That guidance has meant fewer kids can be in a classroom at the same time, so schools have to rotate students in smaller shifts while others continue studying online at home. But new research suggests that a three-foot space between students is enough to prevent COVID-19 from spreading in schools.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/03/11/covid-studies-show-students-are-safe-with-less-distancing/

Survey: Majority of Oakland Unified families want students back in classroom this spring

A majority of elementary school families in the Oakland Unified School District want the option of sending students back to physical classrooms this spring, according to a survey by the district.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/03/11/just-over-half-of-oakland-unified-families-want-to-return-to-the-classroom-this-spring/

EDSOURCE

California schools to get $15.3 billion in federal aid under American Rescue Plan

The nearly $2 trillion American Rescue Plan that President Joe Biden signed Thursday will send $15.3 billion in assistance to California’s K-12 schools. It will be by far the biggest of three relief acts that Congress passed in less than a year to combat the pandemic and the recession.

https://edsource.org/2021/california-schools-to-get-15-3-billion-in-federal-aid-under-american-rescue-plan/650944

Find out how much California school districts and charter schools will get in Covid relief

The database below shows how much money districts are expected to receive from 1) the March 27, 2020 CARES Act; 2) the Dec. 27, 2020 $900 billion Covid relief bill; and 3) the March 11, 2021 $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act.

https://edsource.org/2021/california-districts-and-charter-schools-get-covid-relief-funding-under-american-rescue-plan-act/650922

What the federal stimulus bill means to California's child care sector

President Joe Biden’s child care relief bill, part of the sweeping $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that the president signed into law Thursday, may not end the growing child care crisis, but it will throw a much-needed lifeline to a field on the brink of collapse, early childhood advocates say.

https://edsource.org/2021/what-the-federal-stimulus-bill-means-to-californias-child-care-sector/650916

VENTURA COUNTY STAR

Improved COVID-19 situation, $6.6B education bill pushes districts to reopen classrooms

More and more public school districts in Ventura County are finalizing and announcing concrete reopening dates following the state's $6.6 billion education bill signed into law Friday.

https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2021/03/11/california-education-bill-plan-pushes-districts-reopen-classrooms/6934122002/

OTHER NEWS OUTLETS

Parents Sue San Diego Unified over Equal Access to Online Learning, In-Person Lack

The suit, which seeks unspecified damages, cites Senate Bill 98 in its claims that in-person instruction is required to some extent, but has not been provided by the district since March of last year.

https://timesofsandiego.com/education/2021/03/11/parents-sue-san-diego-unified-over-equal-access-to-online-learning-in-person-lack/

LAUSD Board OKs Agreement With Teachers Union For Campus Return

A tentative deal with the teachers union that would restart in-person instruction for Los Angeles Unified District pre-school and elementary students by mid-April was approved Thursday by the district's Board of Education. The deal still needs to be ratified by UTLA's membership, with voting expected next week.

https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/orange-county/education/2021/03/10/la-unified-school-district-will-resume-in-person-instruction-in-mid-april

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