Interactive Map Tracks Status Of School Reopenings Across California
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The push to reopen schools accelerated Friday as California health officials released an interactive map tracking the status of campus reopenings.
The Safe Schools Reopening Map gives snapshot of where schools have reopened. Delving further into the map reveals data about the types of schools that have reopened, their safety plans, and in the future, if they have partnered with the Valencia Branch Lab for COVID-19 testing and any outbreaks reported in each district. It was developed in partnership with county offices of education and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.
"As COVID-10 conditions continue to improve and vaccinations ramp up throughout the state, this map will provide local communities with accessible, up-to-date information on how districts in their communities and beyond are adapting to the pandemic, including safety planning and implementation," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
The map of Southern California currently shows Orange County with the largest number of campus reopenings, which include middle and high schools. Several districts in Ventura County have also reopened. Most schools in Los Angeles County have not reopened, with the exception of districts in La Cañada Flintridge, Palos Verdes, Manhattan Beach, and Redondo Beach.
Newsom has proposed nearly $90 billion for schools in his 2021-22 budget to support a safe reopening, and more elected officials, like Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, are adding their voices to the call for at least elementary schools to reopen.
However, school officials like Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner and UTLA are resisting those calls, citing the need for teachers and other school workers to be prioritized in the state's vaccination schedule before schools in communities hit hardest by the pandemic can reopen.
