Governor Gavin Newsom announces new plan to safely reopen schools in the spring

Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new plan to safely reopen schools in the spring.

With some schools possibly opening by next month more schools could be reopening.

23ABC's Alex Bell breaks down the state plan on how students will return to class.

REOPEN SCHOOLS.

THE PLAN ISSTILL WAITING ONAPPROVAL.ONCE IT'S CONFIRMED IT WILLALLOW SCHOOLS WHOMEET THE CRITERIA TO REOPEN ASEARLY AS NEXT MONTH.23ABC'S ALEX BELL JOINS US LIVETO BREAK DOWN THE STATE PLANHELPING STUDENTS RETURN TOCLASTHE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED A$2BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET PLANTHAT WILL SUPPORT SCHOOLSREOPENING.

IT'CALLED THE CALIFORNIA "SAFESCHOOLS FOR ALL" PLAN AND IT'SINTENDED TO GET GRADES K THROUGH6 BACK INTO SCHOOLSAFELY.

HERE'S A LOOK AT WHAT ITSAYS SO FAR.THE CALIFORNIA "SAFE SCHOOLS FORALL" PLAN WAS ANNOUNCEDBY GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM - IT'SGOAL?

TO GET STUDENTS BACKTO IN PERSON LEARNING AS SOON ASPOSSIBLE.GAVIN NEWSOM:"WE WANT TO IMPROVEOUR EFFORTS TOGET EVERYBODY MOVING IN ASIMILAR DIRECTION TO BEBACK ON TRACK ACROSS THESPECTRUM BY EARLY SPRING OF2021."PART OF THE PLAN STATING THAT INPERSON LEARNING IS TBEST OPTION FOR STUDENTSLEARNING, MENTAL HEALTHAND SOCIAL NEEDS.THE PLAN HAS A BUDGET OF$2BILLION DOLLARS - WHICHIS AWAITING APPROVAL -TO HELPSCHOOLS THAT WILLRESUME IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION ORPHASING IN OFIN-PERSON INSTRUCTION BY SPRING.THE STATE PLAN ISPECIFICALLY FOR STUDENTS INGRADES K THROUGH 6 BUTWILL STILL ALLOW DISTANCINGLEARNING TO REMAIN AN OPTION FORPARENTS AND STUDENTS."NOW DISTANCE LEARNING-LET MEMAKE THIS CLEAR WILL STILLREMAINAN OPTION FOR PARENTS ANDSTUDENTS.

THERE'S A LOT OFTREPIDATION WE RECOGNIZE THAT -A LOT OF ANXIETY ABOUT GOINGBACK INTO THE CLASSROOM WHICHONE HAS TO CLEARLYACKNOWLEDGE."THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE SAFEREOPENING HAS FOUR CORE PILLARSWHICH INCLUDE :FUNDING TO SUPPORT SAFEREOPENING: SO FUNDS AREAVAILABLE TO IMPLEMENT SAFETYMEASURES.SAFETY & MITIGATION MEASURES FORCLASSROOMS:WHICH AIMS TO ALLOW FREQUENTTESTING FOR ALL STUDENTS ANDSTAFF, MASKS FOR ALL STUDENTSAND STAFF AND HEALTH OFFICIALSFOR CONTACT TRACINGTHIRD IS HANDS-ON OVERSIGHT &ASSISTANCE FOR SCHOOLS: THIS IA CROSS-AGENCY TEAM WHICH WILLINCLUDE STAFF FRDEPARTMENTS SUCH AS CALIFORNIADEPARTMENT OFPUBLIC HEALTH AND OSHA TOPROVIDE HANDS-ON SUPPORT TOSCHOOLS SO THEY IMPLEMENTCOVID-19 SAFETY PLANS ANDCONDUCT THINGS LIKE SCHOOLVISITS AND TRAINING.AND THE LAST PILLAR IS THETRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITYFOR FAMILIES AND STAFF: WHICH ISA STATE DASHBOARD TOHELP RESIDENTS TRACK THINGS LIKETHEIR SCHOOL