School responses in California to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

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As students returned to school for the 2021-2022 school year, states set a variety of policies on education and the COVID-19 pandemic, including how schools should open to in-person instruction and whether students and staff would be required to wear masks. By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, about 66% of students nationwide were in states that left closure decisions to schools or districts, 33% were in states with state-ordered in-person instruction, and 1% were in states with state-ordered regional school closures. All 50 states closed schools to in-person instruction at some point during the 2019-2020 school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

This article summarizes responses to the coronavirus in California schools in the academic years ending in 2020, 2021, and 2022. You will find:

• A timeline of events by school year
• A nationwide summary of school mask and vaccine requirements in the 2021-2022 school year
• A summary of school reopening statuses in the 2020-2021 academic year
• A summary of school reopening statuses in the 2019-2020 academic year

Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This page is updated monthly, but our email is always open. We encourage you to share updates from local officials, policymakers, and campaigns in your community at editor@ballotpedia.org.

School responses timeline (2021-2022 academic year)

The timeline below gives an overview of California's school-related responses to the coronavirus pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year, including mask requirements and the release of statewide operating guidance. Know of something we missed? Click here to email us and let us know.

• March 12, 2022: Statewide school mask requirements ended in California, Washington, and Oregon. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D), and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) jointly announced the change on Feb. 28.
• February 28, 2022: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D), and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) jointly announced their statewide school mask requirements would end on March 12.
• Oct. 1, 2021: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state would require eligible students in public and private schools to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The deadline for vaccination was set for the start of the term following vaccine approval of the student’s age group, with already eligible students required to be vaccinated by July 1, 2022.
• Sept. 9, 2021: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio, a school data aggregator, reported eleven in-person schooling disruptions in California.
• Aug. 11, 2021: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced teachers and staff in private and public K-12 schools would be required to show proof of vaccination against the coronavirus or receive a coronavirus test at least once per week.

Timeline by school year

Below is a list of major events involving schools in California during the coronavirus pandemic between 2019 and 2022, including school closings and openings, mask requirements, and the release of statewide operating guidance. Know of something we missed? Click here to email us and let us know.

2021-2022 school year

• March 12, 2022: Statewide school mask requirements ended in California, Washington, and Oregon. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D), and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) jointly announced the change on Feb. 28.
• February 28, 2022: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D), and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) jointly announced their statewide school mask requirements would end on March 12.
• Oct. 1, 2021: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state would require eligible students in public and private schools to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The deadline for vaccination was set for the start of the term following vaccine approval of the student’s age group, with already eligible students required to be vaccinated by July 1, 2022.
• Sept. 9, 2021: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio, a school data aggregator, reported eleven in-person schooling disruptions in California.
• Aug. 11, 2021: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced teachers and staff in private and public K-12 schools would be required to show proof of vaccination against the coronavirus or receive a coronavirus test at least once per week.

2020-2021 school year

• June 29, 2021: At the end of the school year, Burbio reported about half of schools were in-person in California.
• March 15, 2021: California Judge Cynthia Freeland issued a temporary restraining order preventing the state from enforcing the California's Safe Schools for All reopening framework through March 30. The order temporarily lifted the state's partial closure.
• Sept. 10, 2020: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio reported most schools were using virtual or hybrid learning in California .
• July 17, 2020: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that counties on the state’s coronavirus watch list would begin the school year with online education only. As of July 20, 33 of the state’s 58 counties were on the watch list, which was based on new infections per capita, test positivity rate, and hospitalization rate.
• June 8, 2020: The California Department of Education released a 55-page guidance document for reopening schools to public instruction. The guidance included temperature checks before entering schools or buses, face coverings for staff and students, and physical distancing requirements.

2019-2020 school year

• April 1, 2020: Newsom announced that schools would be physically closed for the remainder of the school year. This was not issued as a executive order, but media outlets reported that schools were unlikely to reopen before the end of the school year.
• March 19, 2020: Newsom issued a statewide shelter-in-place order, closing schools. At the time of the order, 99 percent of schools in California were already closed via local decision.

Mask and vaccine requirements in the 2021-2022 school year

Mask requirements in schools

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

As of August 1, 2022, no states had school mask requirements in effect. Forty-two states left mask requirements in schools up to local authorities. Seven states banned school mask requirements.

The table below shows statewide school mask requirement laws and orders in states with school mask requirements or school mask requirement bans in place at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

Mask requirement orders
State	Ban or requirement?	Type of order	Date lifted or altered
Arizona	Ban	Legislative action	N/A
Arkansas	Ban	Legislative action	Sept. 30, 2021 - Suspended by court action
California	Requirement	California Department of Public Health order	March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Connecticut	Requirement	Executive order	Feb. 28, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Delaware	Requirement	Executive order	March 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Florida	Ban	Executive order	N/A
Georgia	Ban	Legislative action	N/A
Hawaii	Requirement	Executive order	Aug. 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Illinois	Requirement	Illinois Department of Public Health order	Feb. 4, 2022 - Suspended by court action
Iowa	Ban	Legislative action	May 16, 2022 - Reinstated by court action
Kentucky	Requirement	Kentucky Board of Education order	Sept. 9, 2021 - Suspended by state law
Louisiana	Requirement	Executive order	Feb. 16, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Maryland	Requirement	Maryland State Board of Education order	March 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Massachusetts	Requirement	Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education order	Feb. 28, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Nevada	Requirement	Executive order	Feb. 10, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New Jersey	Requirement	Executive order	March 7, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New Mexico	Requirement	New Mexico Public Education Department order	Feb. 17, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New York	Requirement	Executive order	March 3, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Oklahoma	Ban	Executive order	N/A
Oregon	Requirement	Oregon Health Authority and Department of Education order	March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Pennsylvania	Requirement	Pennsylvania Department of Health order	Dec. 10, 2021 - Suspended by court action
Rhode Island	Requirement	Executive order	March 4, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
South Carolina	Ban	Legislative action	Sept. 28, 2021 - Temporarily suspended by court action
Tennessee	Ban	Executive order	Dec. 10, 2021 - Suspended by court action
Texas	Ban	Executive order	N/A
Utah	Ban	Legislative action	N/A
Virginia	Ban	Legislative action	N/A
Washington	Requirement	Washington State Department of Public Health order	March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action

School mask requirements over time

School mask bans over time

Teacher and school employee vaccine requirements

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

Seven states had issued a statewide requirement for K-12 teachers and staff to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or receive regular coronavirus testing during the 2021-2022 school year. The table below shows teacher and staff vaccine requirement laws and orders in states that issued such policies during the 2021-2022 school year.

Vaccine requirement orders
State	Testing instead of vaccination allowed?	Type of order	Date effective
California	Yes	California Department of Public Health order	Oct. 15, 2021
Connecticut	No	Executive order	Sept. 27, 2021
Delaware	Yes	Executive order	Nov. 1, 2021
Illinois	Yes	Executive order	Issued: Sept. 19, 2021 Suspended by court action on Feb. 4, 2022
New Jersey	Yes	Executive order	Oct. 18, 2021
New York	Yes	Executive order	Sept. 19, 2021
Oregon	No	Executive order	Oct. 18, 2021
Washington	No	Executive order	Oct. 18, 2021

Student vaccine requirements

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

On Oct. 1, 2021, California was the first state to announce a vaccine requirement for eligible students. Louisiana also announced a vaccine requirement for eligible students on Dec. 14, but then announced the state would be removing the coronavirus vaccine from the list of required immunizations in schools on May 18, 2022.

School reopenings and closures (2020-2021 academic year)

See also: Documenting America's Path to Recovery: August 4, 2020

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2020-2021 academic year

Initial school year operating plan

California released an initial operating plan for the 2020-2021 school year on June 8, 2020. An analysis of this plan appeared in our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter on August 4. The sections below include an analysis of the plan, the details of the plan, and reactions from officials to the plan.

The California Department of Education released a 55-page guidance document for reopening schools to in-person instruction on June 8. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said the guidance was not mandatory and the document’s goal was to provide multiple scenarios schools could choose from based on need.

On July 17, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) ordered counties on the state’s coronavirus watch list to begin the year with schools using fully remote learning. As of Aug. 4, 37 of the state’s 58 counties were on the watch list. The list is based on new infections per capita, test positivity rate, and hospitalization rate.

California does not have a statewide date for public schools to reopen—individual districts in counties not on the watch list can choose how and when to reopen. According to EdWeek, public schools in California traditionally start the school year between late August and early September.

Context

California is a Democratic trifecta. The governor is a Democrat, and Democrats have majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. The state became a Democratic trifecta in 2011.

The following tables show public education statistics in California, including a rank comparing it to the other 49 states. Rank one is the highest number of each figure, rank 50 is the lowest. All data comes from the Common Core of Data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics.

California school metrics
Category	Figure	Rank
Per pupil spending (16-17)	$13,943	21
Number of students (18-19)	6,171,666	1
Number of teachers (Fall 2016)	271,287	2
Number of public schools (18-19)	10,437	1
Student:teacher ratio (18-19)	23.1	2
Percent qualifying for free/reduced lunch (16-17)	58.1%	12

California school revenue
Category	Figure	Rank
Total revenue	$74,395,627,000	1
Federal revenue percent	9.6%	20
State revenue percent	57.2%	14
Local revenue percent	33.2%	37

Details

District reopening plans

Districts are intended to use the guidelines to develop their own specific reopening plans.

“

The intent of this document is to be a guide for local discussion on reopening schools. It is not a “one-size-fits-all” document; rather, it is a document that honors the varied local contexts of each of our local educational agencies (LEAs). This guidance document was developed with the most current information known at the time and may be updated as new data becomes relevant. This guide will provide checklists, essential questions for consideration, and examples of best practices. . . . LEAs need to work with their local health departments and local stakeholders to ensure that their protocols align with the most current scientific knowledge and community expectations. It is also reasonable to expect that the protocols schools implement will change as the local conditions change.

”

In-person, hybrid, and online learning

The guidelines do not provide one specific requirement or recommendation for LEAs. Instead, the guidelines provide several scheduling model options LEAs can use to build their own plans. Those scheduling models are:

“

Example A: Two-Day Rotation Blended Learning Model ** Students report to school on two designated days based on grade level for in-person instruction (example: Monday/Wednesday for grade levels K–3, Tuesday/Thursday for grade levels 4–6). On the other days, students are engaged in enrichment opportunities aligned with academic goals established by the school through various programs, either on site or with community partners, that are coordinated by school instructional staff. Example B: A/B Week Blended Learning Model ** Half of the student population attends in-person learning opportunities four full days per week while the other half is engaged in distance learning opportunities. The students would alternate each week. All grade bands would be included. The instructional program would be sequenced to accommodate both asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities for students. Example C: Looping Structure ** For schools serving grade levels TK–8, there is an opportunity for students to stay with the same teacher in cohorts for multiple grade levels. Looping provides opportunities for improved relationships between students and teachers, more targeted and efficient instruction, and a higher attendance rate. For example, a teacher and student cohort would stay together for first and second grade, increasing the opportunity for literacy rates on or above grade level. Teachers and students staying together over multiple grade levels can build a better understanding of health and safety, decreasing risks to students and staff. Example D: Early/Late Staggered Schedules ** Grade level bands would have staggered start and dismissal times, such as AM/PM rotations (for example, TK–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–10,11–12). The bell schedule would accommodate multiple recesses and lunch periods and multiple meal distribution points, along with time for students to engage in handwashing before entering classrooms. Students could be in a homeroom with teachers rotating to decrease student congregation in hallways

”

Mask requirements

The guidelines say that based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, all staff should wear face coverings. Teachers may instead use face shields so students can see their faces.

The guidelines say “students should use cloth face coverings, especially in circumstances when physical distancing cannot be maintained.” If LEAs require the use of face coverings, the guidelines require LEAs to provide face coverings for students.

In-person health recommendations and requirements

The guidelines provide suggestions and checklists for LEAs in building plans in the following 10 areas:

“

Local conditions to guide reopening decisions Plans to address positive COVID-19 cases or community surges Injury and illness prevention plan Campus access Hygiene Protective equipment Physical distancing Cleaning/disinfecting Employee issues Communication with students, parents, employees, public health officials, and the community

”

Transportation and busing requirements and restrictions

The guidelines recommend that students wear face coverings while on a bus.

The guidelines leave determining bus occupancy up to LEAs based on physical distancing guidelines. The state also recommends that students be seated in order of boarding/unloading to prevent students from passing one another. Buses should be assigned aides to ensure distancing, enforce seating arrangements, and screen for symptoms.

Map of school closures

The map below shows the status of school reopenings and closures at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year.

As of July 8, 2021, the status of school closures and reopenings was as follows:

• Two states (Delaware, Hawaii) and Washington, D.C. had state-ordered regional school closures, required closures for certain grade levels, or allowed hybrid instruction only.
  • 2019-20 enrollment: 410,896 students (0.81% of students nationwide)
• Thirteen states had state-ordered in-person instruction.
  • 2019-20 enrollment: 15,697,460 students (30.96% of students nationwide)
• One state (Arizona) had state-ordered in-person instruction for certain grades.
  • 2019-20 enrollment: 1,152,586 students (2.27% of students nationwide)
• Thirty-four states left decisions to schools or districts.
  • 2019-20 enrollment: 33,449,499 students (65.96% of students nationwide)

Responses

On July 9, the California Teachers Association sent a letter to state officials in response to school reopening plans.

“

Simply said, California cannot reopen schools unless they are safe. Unfortunately, many local districts and communities don’t have the necessary resources or capacity to maintain even the most basic prevention measures of six feet physical distancing and limiting contacts, much less the other important preventative actions such as personal protective equipment (PPE), testing and tracing, or adequate ventilation and cleaning supplies. While no one method of prevention by itself is 100 percent effective, layered strategies boost prevention with each measure knocking off some percentage of exposure and potential infection. This includes a clear and manageable plan to implement measures like physical distancing of six feet, reducing the number of contacts, face coverings, handwashing, daily health screening, support for sick and at-risk people to stay at home, robust testing, good ventilation (with absolutely no recirculated air), and cleaning and disinfecting.

”

School reopenings and closures (2019-2020 academic year)

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2019-2020 academic year

The map below shows the status of school reopenings and closures at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.

• States closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year: 48
• Number of public school students in states closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year: 50,261,464

The chart below shows the first date schools in a state were closed to in-person instruction during the 2019-2020 academic year, divided by the political party of the governor.

School responses by state

To read about school responses to the coronavirus pandemic in others states, click one of the following links below:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Department of Education
• World Health Organization
• Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC, by State/Territory
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations, Our World in Data (Number of vaccines administered)
• Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker, New York Times (Progress of vaccine trials)

See also

• Documenting America's Path to Recovery
• School responses to the coronavirus pandemic by state (2021-2022 academic year)
• School responses to the coronavirus pandemic by state (2020-2021 academic year)
• California’s responses to the coronavirus pandemic
• COVID-19 vaccine distribution by state
• Travel restrictions by state
• Federal government responses to the coronavirus pandemic

Footnotes