SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KRON) – Governor Gavin Newsom says his administration and the legislature are close to making a deal on when and how to reopen schools in California.
An agreement could be reached by this week.
“It is my desire to get our schools safely open as quickly as we can,” Newsom said.
Governor Newsom says he and members of the legislature worked through the weekend to sort out details to try to resume in-person learning in schools across the state.
Newsom says a deal could be reached as soon as this week.
Some lawmakers confirmed Democrats and Newsom are close to reaching an agreement.
“From my perspective, the two Fs are what’s important, flexibility and funding,” Assm. James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, said.
Assemblyman James Gallagher is the Vice Chair of the Education Finance Committee.
“The initial reopening plan that he put out there was very rigid, almost every school said this is just not feasible for us to do. And then there’s the blueprint framework, which is still an impediment if you’re saying you can’t open until you get to the red tier, well most of the state is still in purple,” Gallagher said.
A major sticking point in negotiations has been teacher’s union calls for educators to be vaccinated before stepping foot back in the classroom.
The governor says the state is prioritizing teachers in upcoming Phase 1b vaccinations.
“We are prioritizing teachers, we want to clarify that further and that will be part of what we hope to announce in the next– well, but announce very, very shortly,” Newsom said.
Meanwhile, a hearing on the State’s Department of Education in the assembly is scheduled for next Tuesday.