LA County Says It Will Not Consider School Reopening Waivers
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced Tuesday that it would not consider school reopening waivers in light of new state guidance.
The state is now recommending that counties with coronavirus case rates at or above 200 cases per 100,000 residents not approve waivers for in-person instruction for students in sixth grade or below. And because Los Angeles County's current case rase is 355 cases per 100,000, the department said it would not be considering waiver applications.
"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. "We need to ensure the health and safety of our children, school teachers and staff and all of their families."
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But while all schools in the county, both public and private, remain closed for in-person instruction of students, teachers, staff and administrators will be allowed to return to school buildings provided the campuses adhere to existing protocols and require physical distancing and infection control measures.
The department said it would reevaluate its decision once the county's case rate falls to levels recommended by the state.
