Around the country, severe teacher shortages worsened by the pandemic have put greater pressure on teachers and administrators to scramble to cover positions. LPI researchers surveyed and spoke with districts across California to reveal the problems they face, explore the drastic measures they are taking to mitigate shortages, and offer state and federal policies address this issue.
Schools across California have reopened for in-person learning, undertaking the challenging but crucial work of ensuring student safety. Examining multiple districts across the state, LPI researchers provide important models and key lessons for safe school reopening. As their work demonstrates, schools implementing multilayered mitigation strategies can stay open safely, minimize further disruptions to learning, and ensure that students can focus on their education and reconnecting to their school community.
Although schools are reopening on the shifting sands of COVID-19 variants and low vaccination rates in some regions, they can resume in-person classes in a safe and supportive manner using science-based mitigation approaches, such as masking and social distancing, and by attending to student and teacher social and emotional needs.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, districts nationwide have faced the difficult task of reopening schools safely and keeping them open, while also accelerating student learning and attending to the trauma and loss experienced by students and families. By adopting a nimble and forward-looking recovery strategy encompassing social and emotional, as well as physical, safety, Tulsa Public Schools had a safe and successful spring and summer 2021, and plans to continue these efforts into the fall.
San Diego County provided a wide range of supports to districts throughout the pandemic—from a website consolidating COVID-19 and distance learning information to a reopening framework with resources on facility sanitizing, campus capacity, meal programs, busing, arrival and symptom screening procedures, and scheduling. Working with public health partners, these efforts resulted in 98% of districts in the county reopening for in-person learning as of May 2021.
More than 1 in 5 of the nation’s students identified as experiencing homelessness reside in California. Students experiencing homelessness hold educational aspirations like those of their peers—to graduate from high school and go on to college. However, students experiencing homelessness face distinct challenges often due to the cumulative effects of poverty, instability, and disruption of social relationships associated with high mobility.
In March 2020, New York City was a pandemic hotspot. Yet NYC was also the first large U.S. city to reopen its schools. Researchers explore the various mitigation strategies the NYC Department of Education implemented to bring students back and offer useful resources that can support policymakers and educators navigating their own school reopening plans.
How can districts reopen schools safely and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools? Marin County, CA, offers one example of a thoughtful approach to school reopening that draws on public health research and partnerships. Using multilayered mitigation strategies and collaborating with the county offices of education and health, Marin safely reopened more than 85% of its schools for in-person learning.
Pandemic-related school closures have underscored the essential role that home-school partnerships play in supporting the needs and ongoing development of students. This is particularly true for students with disabilities, whose educational plans can include the provision and coordination of multiple services. Teachers and school district staff share how they are strengthening communication with families and tapping new tools and resources to support students with disabilities.
Community schools are an evidence-based approach to advance whole child education by offering integrated student supports, expanded and enriched learning time, family and community engagement, and collaborative leadership and practices. Local government and nonprofit agencies in two California counties—Los Angeles and Alameda—have effectively provided technical assistance to support community school initiatives. Evidence shows that technical assistance from county offices and nonprofit agencies can be a powerful element of successful community schools.
