Early on the evening on March 13, 2020, Gov. Newsom issued an executive order addressing some of the unresolved questions prompted by coronavirus-related school closures. The order ensures that districts will receive state funding as normal and will not lose Average Daily Attendance (ADA) revenue when closing schools to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The order requires that school districts and county offices of education use this funding to support distance learning and high-quality educational opportunities, offer school meals and provide for the supervision of students during school hours. Specifically, the order states that if schools close because of COVID-19, LEAS must:
- To the extent feasible, continue delivering high-quality educational opportunities to students through other options, distance learning and independent study;
- Safely provide school meals through the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option, consistent with the requirements of the California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Agriculture;
- To the extent practicable, arrange for supervision for students during ordinary school hours; and
- Continue to pay employees
Although there had been speculation that the Governor might close schools statewide as a precautionary measure, the order does not provide for that nor does it address the issue of state-mandated closures. You can view the complete executive order here.
CSBA continues to work with the Governor’s Office, the California Department of Education and other offices to address other pressing issues raised by the response to COVID-19. Many of these concerns are raised in a letter to California policy makers from the Education Coalition, a group of statewide employee associations, education advocacy organizations and labor unions of which CSBA is part. We will keep you apprised of developments or progress as we advocate for schools in this difficult time.
