Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Approves Distance Learning When School Starts
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education voted unanimously to start the 2020-21 school year with distance learning.
The district had been leaning towards starting the year with a combination of on-campus and distance learning, however, the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County delayed the return to school buildings until it is safe to do so.
"We are committed to providing our students with a rigorous and engaging distance learning program for the fall," Superintendent Dr. Ben Drati said.
"We heard loud and clear that distance learning in the spring had some bright spots, but also presented challenges. We have been working with CTA, teacher leaders, site leadership, and consulting with parent groups, to develop the framework for a more robust distance learning program, knowing that we may have to transition back if conditions worsen. We did not expect it to begin with this model immediately, but we will be prepared to do so."
The board's goal is to return to on-campus learning when all protocols established by the L.A. County Department of Public Health and state requirements are met.
On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered schools in counties on the state's COVID-19 watch list to stay closed.
Thirty-two counties are on the state's watch list, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura. All schools, public and private, in those counties must begin the 2020-21 school year with distance learning.
Newsom said counties must be off the state's monitoring list for 14 consecutive days before public and private schools can physically reopen.
