The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will not consider re-opening waivers as previously planned for elementary schools given new state guidelines issued Tuesday.
Based on an announcement from the California Department of Health, waivers for schools to resume in-person Pre-Kindergarten to 6th Grade classes will only be considered in counties where coronavirus cases have dropped below 200 per 100,000 people in the past two weeeks.
Currently, L.A. County was experiencing 355 coronavirus cases per 100,000 in the past two weeks.
“We know that to many families, this is a disappointing announcement, but it’s based on the existing science and data that is guiding all of our decision-making,” the department said in a statement Tuesday. “We need to ensure the health and safety of our children, school teachers and staff and all of their families.”
Riverside and San Bernardino counties, though their case rates are better than L.A. County, are also not permitted to apply for waivers yet, though Riverside was very close to being under 200.
Last week, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said the department expected to have a waiver application available for school districts by the end of the week. At the time, Ferrer also clarified that requirements for granting the waiver would mirror those coming from the state including solicitation of letters from local labor and parent groups.
The letters, she said, needed to demonstrate “consultation and collaboration” with key stakeholders such as labor unions and parent groups.
“In our view, it does take a level of support from everybody in that community for those schools to open effectively,” Ferrer said.
Tuesday’s announcement by the state put those plans on hold.
Although campuses will remain closed, teachers and faculty are permitted to return to school buildings provided they adhere to health officer orders.
