San Mateo County leaders laud Newsom's school reopening plan

“In-person learning — there is just no substitute for it,” said Newsom, who pointed to mounting evidence that community spread is not occurring at schools where in-person learning is taking place to bolster his argument for reopening classrooms.

Among the proposed efforts include injecting nearly $2 billion through the state budget to districts that commit to reopening while adhering to strict health and safety protocol, which include testing and tracing programs for those on campus.

County Superintendent Nancy Magee shared her appreciation for the additional funding offered by Newsom and his colleagues in Sacramento.

“The level of support they are offering at the state is really helpful to schools,” said Magee, who balanced her perspective by noting she is waiting to see more details of the financial plan. Newsom said additional specifics regarding the funding, which would range between $450 and $750 per student, are expected to be made available next week when the governor releases his annual budget proposal.

Magee further noted that finances have not been a key issue for districts to overcome when planning to reopen, and that most local schools have the resources they need to safely implement the recommended protocol for bringing students back.

“It’s not about the money, it’s about the health conditions,” she said.

To that end, while she appreciated Newsom’s support, Magee said the declaration will not lead to quicker classroom reopening locally. While San Mateo County is in the purple tier, campuses that have not restarted in-person instruction must remain closed. Once the county stays two weeks uninterrupted in the red tier or a waiver is granted, kindergarten through sixth-grade classrooms can begin reopening. Many private schools have already restarted in-person learning and most public schools have received clearances to bring students back once health conditions improve.

“We are on track in San Mateo County and this support from the state will only be further help,” said Magee.

Additionally, Newsom said he expected teachers would be included in the next round of COVID-19 vaccinations, following administration to the first tier of first responders and seniors living in congregate settings.

The prioritization commitment hit a key note of concern repeatedly raised by teachers, who have shared reservations regarding plans to return to campus which many consider unsafe while case counts spike at record amounts.

Magee endorsed that proposal as well.

“I think it is really important that they prioritized vaccinations for the education space. I don’t think there is anything too much more critical than the future of our children’s learning and vaccination is a huge part of returning in a sustainable way to in-person learning,” she said. “I think it’s really a big statement from the governor on behalf of all children.”

State. Sen. Josh Becker, D-San Mateo, supported the proposal as well.

“I also appreciate that the governor and state Superintendent Tony Thurmond underscored that they, too, believe teachers must be prioritized for the COVID vaccine. We must protect teachers and early childhood education and care workers,” said Becker, who authored legislation urging educators to be among those first to receive the vaccination.

California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd was more measured in his remarks regarding the governor’s efforts.

“CTA continues to support distance learning for schools that are in the highest, purple tier of transmission rates. We will continue our conversations with lawmakers and the governor. This must be a joint effort to ensure a safe return to our classrooms where we know our students learn best and thrive,” said Boyd in a prepared statement.

Another key tenet of the plan is allowing districts to amend their traditional school calendar to offer more assistance opportunities for students who have struggled or fallen behind during the pandemic.

“We shouldn’t think of this as what we can only cram in by May,” said state Board of Education President Linda Darling Hammond during the press conference. “We should think of this as a continuous process.”

Details on the proposal were short, but the thrust of the effort aligns with the interest of local educators who had proposed extending the school year or adding summer school sessions to negate learning loss.

Magee noted a portion of the proposed additional financing could be spent toward financing unconventional calendar composition.

“That will be an important part of the money — taking a new look at the school calendar and moving away from the 10-month calendar,” she said.

More broadly, Assembly Speaker pro Tem Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, shared his support in a prepared statement for the effort and expressed a commitment to continued collaboration over the coming months.

“We all recognize the importance of getting our children back to in-person instruction. The framework released today demonstrates what will be necessary to ensure that in-person learning can resume, and of critical importance, how it can resume safely,” he said.

Becker shared a similar perspective.

“I look forward to session resuming so that work can begin on this and our efforts to get kids back in school,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com