By Diana Lambert – EdSource – California schools will not be able to reopen safely next school year unless they receive additional federal dollars, said California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on Wednesday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed May budget revision would reduce funding to school districts by about $7 billion. The proposal includes a cut of $6.5 billion that is allocated through the Local Control Funding Formula,
which directs additional funding to high-needs students – low-income, foster and homeless students, and English learners.
“We believe our school districts can’t reopen safely if they have to implement these kinds of cuts,” Thurmond said.
Students, teachers and staff will need masks and hand sanitizer, Thurmond said. Schools will need to be sanitized every day, sometimes multiple times a day, and class sizes will need to be smaller to maintain 6 feet between everyone in the class.
Despite a suggestion from Newsom that schools start early to make up for learning loss during school closures, Thurmond said most districts plan to open on their usual fall opening dates in late August or early
September but that in some cases instruction could include some in-class instruction and some distance learning.
“All of our focus on reopening is first and foremost safety for our students and for our educators and for our families,” Thurmond said.
The cost of reopening with social distancing, alternate school schedules and other safety guidelines will be costly for districts already struggling with budget cuts, said Kindra Britt, deputy superintendent of communications for the California Department of Education.
The department is relying on federal dollars, including funds from the HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions) Act and more funds from the CARES Act, the first stimulus bill Congress approved in March, to make up for state budget cuts, Britt said.
Thurmond and other Department of Education officials are working with legislators and the governor to look at all possible scenarios, including what would happen if the federal dollars don’t arrive, Britt said.
“We will have to really have some tough conversations if we don’t get federal funding,” she said.
The state budget has yet to be approved by the Senate and there has been discussion about reallocating funds from other programs to increase education funding, Britt said.
Despite questions about funding, school districts and the education department are moving forward with plans for reopening. Decisions about when California school districts will reopen will be made locally, but there will be guidance from state and county health officials and the department, Thurmond said.
A California Department of Education task force that includes educators, education associations, union representatives and health officials has been sharing guidance about how to safely reopen schools with districts weekly but will offer more comprehensive guidance soon, he said.
Thurmond will host a video conference with school district and public health officials Thursday to discuss districts’ plans for reopening schools and to share guidance. The video conference can be viewed on the department’s Facebook page.
Conference attendees will discuss districts’ fiscal health, how schools will provide educational programs in the fall and how to ensure the health and safety of students and staff.
One of the unanswered questions will be who will pay for the personal protective equipment that will be required for staff and students, Britt said. “That’s what school districts want to know,” she said. “Who will pay for these masks and all the increased costs?”
photo: Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond – courtesy of EdSource
48 comments
Private schools will have Parents knocking on the door. I see a similar situation as you see in MS & LA. Defacto segregation along economic lines. Thurmond needs another tack other than throwing his hands up and saying we’re done. The cynical side of me says he fired the first volley for massive tax proposals.
Gebertx, there’s nothing new about economic segregation and some parents proving it….way before this pandemic; and as far as tax proposals, the people running the sanctuary cities and the person running this sanctuary state deserve what they’re getting, shi$ in the streets and nothing else.
This is laughable. Don’t give them a dime. Vote these “I don’t know how to balance a checkbook” politicians out. You spent more than you had that’s your problem you trash conservatives call normal ppl racists and now your broke…..after all this Upity talk you guys can’t even balance the education budget in the state? What a bunch of clowns you get a lot of money and you blew it where did it all go ? I’m calling for a federal audit who else wants to know where our tax money got siphoned off at? To the people that are Democrats still turn off CNN turn off the television walk around look at the area you live in it’s been run by democrats for a long time are you getting your moneys worth ? Major corruption going on here
This is almost laughable. The state gives money to illegal immigrants, then Newsom tells the feds to send money because it’s the moral thing to do. Now the schools superintendent wants even more money from the federal government. How about using some of the money being flushed down the toilet on the fancy train in the Central Valley? That’s just being wasted. The federal government is something like 26 trillion in debt, so where exactly is more money coming from?
Venezuela. They have been running the minimum wage up so high that everyone there is now a millionaire. Of course, the currency is worth less than toilet paper. But, hey, no need to buy toilet paper now. Just cash your payroll check and use the bills… and send the surplus to poor schoolchildren in California.
Let me see here. California has decided to become a sanctuary state with an unfunded teachers pension that is quickly approaching $1 trillion in the red. California school children have dumb ass parents who voted for a super majority of Democrats who marginalized our union-run education system way before Wuhan. It is also Democrats who have implemented a Racist standard that destroyed generations of public school children in cities like Oakland, Richmond, Compton…You get the picture.
No more money for the schools.
They, like everyone else, need to work within their means.
Open the schools, teach the 3 “R”‘s
Simple, easy cheap.
And here we go, as predicted, a fiscally irresponsible state such as CA that hands out unsustainable pensions like they’re Halloween candy (and FULL size, not the cheapo Fun size) and showers ILLEGAL aliens with “benefits”, is now looking towards the federal govt (aka “taxpayers”) for a bailout.
A big reason why lockdowns continues even where they are not necessary, to purposely crater those economies, THAT WERE ALREADY IN POOR SHAPE, so that Wu Flu could be used as a pretext for Uncle Sugar to bail them out.
And CA touts that it is the world’s 3rd largest economy. But that sure does not mean that is is doing well!!
It’s usually feted as the 5th largest, but yes your point stands, being this “big economy” doesn’t necessarily equate to fiscal sanity, as evidenced by CA’s >$TRILLION of unfunded liabilities, and that was BEFORE CalPERS lost $70 BILLION over the past couple months…but hey, those 340,000 pensioners making >$100K need to get paid, which I’m sure not a single one spiked that pension before they retired.
CORRECTION: That 340K CA public employees making >$100K is a combination of retired pensioners and salaries of those still “working”…but still a fugly high number no matter how you slice it.
Sounds very much like given extensive measures that will have to be taken, maybe schools should remain closed until sometime in late 2021.
Should we start a pool to see which liberal CA official will be next to come out in support of pelosi’s bill?
Have they, a schedule listing who’ll be next ?
So far, governor threatening to lay off first responders and medical staff if CA doesn’t get billions more federal dollars, then bart, now education saying school districts won’t be safe.
In short that old adage jerry brown used so many, many times, it’s for the children . . . . . .
So far to a person all touting HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act) as the perfect fix. When was last time liberals were in such perfect agreement
Are they all tryin’, just a little too hard ? ? ?
When Concord wanted to pass (and then extend) yet another sales tax increase, they used the same ploy—if the measure didn’t pass, they’d have to make cuts, and those would begin with first responders. Sadly, the tactic worked, and the measure passed. These people are diabolical, and will stop at nothing to get more taxpayer money.
Not a cent. No more federal funds until the state cuts all spending and social services on people in this country illegally.
Interesting that the CA Democrats don’t need the Federal government until they really do need them. Decades of inept policies and wasteful spending are coming back to haunt these buffoons. Glad they aren’t in charge of my finances other than their annual thievery.
This is a politically motivated gotcha that begins with Gov Newsom cutting Education funds and then passing the buck to Congress. Newsom has yet to Explain why he cut education instead of moonlighting and waste simply because cuts to education sounds so dire in media sound bites. Pure politics. I doubt districts will pay for PPE for teachers. Teachers spend so much that is (Now under petulant Trump tax cuts) are never reimbursed So why stop there.
decades of Democrat mismanagement is finally coming home to roost. If Newsom can pull this off, he can make all of America pay for all their crappy legislation and budgets run amok under the guise of Covid.
At least we have transgender bathrooms in our schools.
Bullsh*t. Now they’re trying to hold us for ransom?? Newsom started this yesterday- trying to say they can’t pay essential workers without the Heroes Act. Once again ….. bullsh*t!!
Hey guy, remember back in 2020 when they weaponized the flu in order to take control of business and beg the feds for money to cover their incompetence…good times
No more federal funds, open the damn doors
Just a quick observation you might want to point out to your liberal acquaintances, liberal politicians have said about gun control, . . . “it’s worth it, if it saves one child’s life”.
Since shelter in place haven’t heard of any mass school shootings, IT’S WORKING ! ! ! !
And to top it off, he’s got a plastic water bottle in front of him!!! Where’s the outrage?!!!
I hear sea turtles are getting caught in all the discarded masks in the Pacific Ocean and dying. Time to ban
Newsom and the Democrat super-majority legislature in California have totally boned the state budget and destroyed our economy. Rather than pay down debt and fix pension funds, they invented entirely new spending programs. And then they blame the Federal Government and want the other 49 states to bail them out?
This is politics (and accounting) so corrupt that it would make Al Capone blush. Open up the schools and everything else. No mandatory masks, no mandatory reductions in seating capacity, no mandatory nothing. Let people vote with their wallets and feet.
BTW- We tutor low-income kids (on a voluntary basis) and ‘distance learning’ has ben an absolute disaster for those students. No one, not our “fabulous” Health Department, nor our “illustrious” Superintendent of Public Instruction want to talk about THAT inconvenient truth!
If Newsom wasn’t giving 125 million to illegals then that money could possibly help go into our school system. This state is looking more pathetic with each passing day.
The logistics of providing PPE and keeping schools clean is mind boggling. There are 35,000 kids in MDUSD. A mask per student per day? And what about staff? Parents need to stop sending their sick kids to school. It’s gonna be a nightmare keeping classrooms and facilities clean and sanitized. Best of luck and sad there is no budget to cover what they need.
Good thing we now have hydroxychlorquine
They can spend zillion$ putting homeless junkies in hotels to “keep our most vulnerable safe”. But it never crossed their minds to save a little dough to take care of the kids in school? Or are they just mad that people aren’t going along with their SIP orders. Everyone of these idiots should be run out of town.
Well said.
Exactly!
Well, if they want their paychecks. I work at a hospital and I don;t get to pretend to work and still get my money.
Why don’t they wait and see our situation this summer. Things will change, better or worse they will still change. No one, and I mean no one knows where will be in a few months. May be a bit pre mature to be looking for money at this point.
OH look, ever wondered how well public sector pays and why being a taxpayer in California takes such a chunk out of what you make. Here’s a little something found while reviewing a Forbes dot com article.
https://www.openthebooks.com/maps/?Map=90001&MapType=Pin
Plug in a zip code hit enter, then select a red map pin, then scroll down to be amazed. Suggest you sit down first.
A complete, 100% disinterest in what California Citizens want and need for their families. I guess the kids don’t count ‘cause they can’t vote.
This is collusion at its most blatant. “Hey the Fed won’t give us our $3 Trillion, so let’s punish the kids!
I find it impossible to believe that given all of this disingenuous acting, that Californians are not ready to recall our Governor with an overwhelming number of signatures.
By the way, where are the $1Billion worth of masks he purchased from China?
Good grief, leftists are just so delusional, where in the hell is all this money supposed to come from? That’s why besides this idiot, you have MDUSD Supt “Doctor” Robert Martinez who PROUDLY pens and touts the most saccharine and cringe suckup letter to, who else, fellow braindead kook Nancy Pelosi where he not only supports the absurd “HEROES” Act, he advocates for a FIFTH PHASE of bailouts that would be ANOTHER TRILLION+ DOLLARS.
These people have gone stark raving MAD, they are completely divorced from any vestige of reality, they instead dwell in this ethereal plane of rainbows, unicorns, Twitter blue-checks, and Karens…they’ve got a taste of power, control, “unlimited” funds for really bad/nutball ideas and they are desperate to never let it go.
Wow looked at Doctor Martinez Twitter presence and see he fancies himself as the “Resilience Guy”. Such letters to Nancy Pelosi did not strike me as resilient, quite the opposite.
Reading up more on Doctor Robert Martinez and Mount Diablo Unified School District, and found out this guy is spending millions from Bond money on a new Warehouse and is crying poor because he has no money left to equip his employees and schools with safe social distancing equipment and facility upgrades to accommodate their safety. The more I read about him and the school district the more disenfranchised I am with his case of pawning himself off as a resilience guy, while begging Nancy Pelosi for money.
More money = More problems
no money for the citizenry it all went to the invaders
Gotta keep the pension gravy train (barely) moving…..
“Pretend to work?” I’m sorry if you have had a tough experience with your school/teacher. But your anger and disrespect towards teachers is not necessary. All the teachers who you say are pretending to work are spending countless hours creating curriculum, answering too many emails to count, attending staff meetings, virtually teaching, recording podcasts with their lessons, grading hundreds of papers, etc! So I’m pretty sure that’s not pretending. My husband is an essential worker. My best friends are nurses and we all support each other during this time. Your comments are rude. Please think before you speak. Thank you for working in a hospital. Stay safe
The California Teachers Union (CTA) got him elected so it’s no wonder he’s doing their bidding. Special Ed and other students get the shaft, so teachers aren’t overworked and still get raises via federal dollars. This is what happens when the inmates run the asylum and you throw money down rabbit holes for illegal immigrants and inner-city schools (that receive 1.5 more than suburban schools on average).
ahhhh chaos
yes the liberal drum of fleecing the fed
and pocketing it all
I mean where did the school money go if no schools were open
the lights were off ….the gas …was off ….the electricity was off….
teachers were laid off
where did the money go
and what the f
this state full on endorsed the killing of the potus when he was elected
they encouraged hate and slander and even promoted false narratives when false charges were filed on the potus several times over and over by the dem caucus and every liberal preaching zombie that had someone to write for them or handed them a mic
burn the bridges and waste away mentality didn’t work out so good for liberal leeches di it
this state is a waste of a great thing being sucked to death by liberal vampire politicians and any board member that follows them like sheep
they all ranted and raved at anything detrimental or claimed or hate spewed at the potus
and now they are not asking him they are demanding as if he owes them
the narcissistic liberal bulldozer is out of control
believing that everyone in this state is a follower and cant see bull sh.t when they see it
trump just say no to the drugs the liberals are pushing
force them to( re imagine )their idiocy and simplistic ways of ruling this state
hey guess what liberal vampires
the schools don’t open
wait till next year
lets see how that goes over with parents
liberal parents WILL revolt if that happens
git er done ……libs or lose your jobs
welcome to election year ….this should really shake out the flies in the honey jar
the fleecing of the state should come to an end sooner rather than later
this is and should be the rally call to oust these liberal sharks feeding off of hard working americans to fund their disenfranchised voters being held down the crack drugs the liberals feed them to secure their votes
like welfare and edd and changing laws so they can legally steal and commit crimes ….the DA refuses to prosecute any illegals and pleads out felonies all so they can vote demorat
stop the bleeding and lets equalize this state and make it great again
or keep feeding the dragon that holds you hostage to work for its food as well as their children’s food and cars and homes vacations and free healthcare
show the world this state has had enough
vote for change ….anything is better than getting worked over from a liberal loan shark like newscum and Pelosi
None of you get it do you??!?? The school need the money from the FEDS so that we can keep the school clean overhaul the school system so that we can do a little bit of in class and over the net at home schooling. Sanitation and more sinks and methods to check childrens temperatures. So many of you are taking your health for granted. Our politicians are trying there best but i think the people are to stupid or sold out to the mind control every one is under because the gangsters now running most of the cities in Kalifornia hope your gangs and cults are worth it becuase i never once seen any one blame them. Stand for your country ane quit complaining b4 you lose it to russia or china start moving in.
Hmmmm. So, we’re going to cut $6.5 billion from our children’s education, we’re going to slash the pay of state workers, we have veterans living on the street, and homeless crapping all over the place and leaving their used needle everywhere for innocent people to step on! But we still have enough to support illegal aliens? You go California electorate! Keep voting these morons into office! This is what you want? Our “Golden State” is surely tarnished!
Nice post. The idiot voters of California and incompetent elected officials are what we have with California voting just for fun political statements instead of actual analysis of what is best. Compare the $6.8 billion cut in education to the now projected $98.1 billion for the bullet train. Anyone who voted for that should, out of a sense of personal responsibility and integrity, not vote anymore because they are not capable. Just don’t. Admit your limitations. Voting is not your entertainment.
My husband is a high school teacher. He wants to get back to the classroom. Wearing a mask for the entire day is prohibitive when trying to heard in a classroom. Furthermore, there are differing reports as to the benefits of wearing a mask. Wearing them for that many hours a day, can’t be good for you.
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