BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The California State Superintendent, Tony Thurmond, has said he supports distance learning for the time being and in Kern County, districts are working to decide what works be for their community.
Some districts are moving initiate full distance learning in the fall and some are considering a hybrid plan. Other districts are still deciding.
Here is a list of where each school district in Kern County stands on the 2020-21 school year:
*This is a developing list. 23ABC is working on reaching out to districts to confirm the latest information and waiting to hear back.*
Arvin Union School District: The Arvin Union School District has voted to begin the 2020-2021 school year with distance learning. The board has agreed to revisit the decision every month beginning on Sept. 8. The board also approved teachers to work on-site while they are doing distance learning.
Bakersfield City School District: BCSD will begin the 2020-21 school year in a full distance learning format for the first quarter.
Buttonwillow School District: BSD will begin the year with Distance Learning. Schools will reopen for on campus learning when they are able to and will once again consider our options moving forward. BSD will provide Distance Learning in PS-8 to grade.
Delano Joint Union High School District: Based on the guidelines provided by Governor Newsom on July 17, the Delano Joint Union High School District will begin the 2020/2021 school year with a distance learning only model. Schools will be allowed to phase in other instructional models as the County of Kern comes into compliance with the State’s monitoring criteria. School is set to begin on Aug. 12.
Delano Union School District: Delano Union School District board of trustees unanimously approved 5-to-0 a phased reopening plan. From August to January of next year they will be 100% distance learning. They plan to re-evaluate and move to a hybrid model if possible of both some distance learning and some in-person instruction from February - June of 2021.
Di Giorgio Elementary School District: The DGESD will begin the school year with distance learning. Students in 2nd through 8th grade will have Chromebooks.
Edison School District: The ESD said for the first quarter all TK-8 Instruction will be distance learning only until Oct. 9. If recommended by health officials, the district will transition to blended learning for the second quarter. This plan will be in effect for the first 9 weeks of the school year. ESD resumes school on Aug. 12.
El Tejon School District: ETUSD announced three options for parents to choose from. Option 1: Students will participate in a hybrid model of learning to combine in-person classroom instruction along with distance learning. Option 2: Students may participate in a full distance learning program using the online Canvas Platform. Option 3: Students may participate in ETUSD’s Independent Study Condor Academy Program.
Fairfax School District: Therefore, all schools in the Fairfax School District will begin the 2020-2021 school year with distance learning beginning on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 and continue until the end of the first quarter, October 16, 2020.
Fruitvale School District: The FUSD will start off as a fully distanced school year model.
Greenfield Union School District: Will start school on August 12th with Phase One, which involves full distance learning where "students will participate through Google Classroom five days a week following an instructional schedule with required attendance." Once Kern County is off the state's monitoring list, the district will have the option to switch to Phase Two, a Hybrid Model. Students will attend school two days per week and participate in Distance Learning for the other three days of the week. Parents will have the option of keeping their children on Full Distance Learning. The district will move into Phase Three if "conditions are appropriate." Students will report to school five days per week with "restrictions/protocols in place to ensure the health and safety of students, staff, and parents." Again, parents will have the option to keep their students in Full Distance Learning. Phase Four will be a return to the traditional model with no restrictions.
Kern High School District: The KHSD will resume school with distance learning on Aug. 12 until Oct. 9. After that, schools will begin to phase into a hybrid plan, allowing 25% of students on campus. The board will reconvene on Aug. 3 to discuss where they stand.
Kernville Union School District: The KUSD is planning to resume school with distance learning. However, the district is looking into applying for a waiver to resume in-person learning. School for KUSD returns on Aug. 12.
Lakeside Union School District: The LUSD District Advisory Committee on Reopening Schools will be making a recommendation to the Board of Trustees to delay the plan to reopen with a hybrid/blended model, and instead start the school year with 100% distance learning. The decision will ultimately be made by the LUSD School Board.
Lamont Elementary School District: LESD has decided to begin the school year in distance learning format through the end of the first trimester or until local health data allows for in-person learning. Classes begin July 30.
Lost Hills School District: LHSD is preparing to bring its draft plan to the board for approval (no date established), but is still working out adjustments following the governor's announcement to address the possibility of a 100% distance learning instructional program.
Maricopa Unified School District: MUSD voted to implement a combination of in-person and distance learning with social distancing, smaller class sizes alternating with distance learning starting on Aug. 10. This option implements a Half Day Schedule (AM/PM) for all TK-12 students and Half Day Enrichment Activities for some TK-5th Graders Needing Child Care when not in the classroom.
McFarland Union School District: MUSD opted for a phased plan to physically reopen schools with alternating schedules for kindergarten and first-grade students. The remaining students will continue with distance learning until the next phases open. There are four total phases for physically reopening all of the schools in the district. District officials said September 14 is a possible target date to evaluate whether additional students can return to campuses.
McKittrick School District: Nothing has been completely decided. The district has a special board meeting scheduled for July 28.
Mojave Unified School District: The district has recommended that all students start the school year in full online distance learning and when the conditions are appropriate for the return to in-person instruction, MUSD will bring students back to school sites using a phased-in approach.
Norris School District: The NSD is still discussing plans for the upcoming school year. In the latest letter to parents, the district asked whether they preferred traditional on-campus learning or fully distance learning. The district asked parents to respond by July 19. The board will revisit the decision at a tentative meeting on July 21.
Panama-Buena Vista Union School District: Panama-Buena Vista Union School district Board of Trustees voted to begin the 2020-2021 school year with an online distance learning program. School will begin Aug. 24 with an online distance learning program that offers: Attendance taken daily, a scheduled school day, teacher-led instruction, purposeful instruction with accountability, instruction focused on grade level priority standards utilizing curriculum maps, technology integration, materials consisting of Board adopted Curriculum, Chromebooks and Textbooks, regular assessments and grading. While we prefer students to be in school with all of the normalcy, learning and social/emotional support it provides, the safety of our students and staff is paramount as we move forward during these unprecedented times with distance learning.
Richland School District: The RSD Board of Trustees made the decision to reopen with a hybrid method of in-classroom and online instruction starting Aug. 6. Students will attend school two days a week and will work the other three days from home Parents will have the option of having their children continue to receive their education via the Distance Learning Model. Registration for Distance Learning will be available on rsdshafter.org. The next scheduled meeting for RSD is Aug. 10.
Rio Bravo-Greeley Union School District: The RBGUSD Board of Trustees voted to offer two educational program options: and a.m./p.m. four day a week or distance learning. Rio Bravo resumes school on Aug. 12 and the district said it will send additional information as well as registration forms to all families in the coming days.
Rosedale Union School District: RUSD is finalizing plans that allow families to select one of three educational models (traditional, blended or distance learning) that best meets each student's unique situation. School for RUSD resumes on Aug. 13.
Sierra Sands Unified School District: SSUSD plans to offer two options for the upcoming school year: on-campus and online. The plan will be discussed during the board meeting on Thursday.
Southern Kern Unified School District: SKUSD will open on Aug. 12 with a blended model: ABAB Distance Day. SKUSD has adapted its programs to continue to meet the needs of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read about the district's reponse in the COVID 19 Operations Written Report. The next board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 5.
Standard School District: SSD decided to start the school year off with distance learning only. Plans including distribution of Chromebooks are being discussed. The school year begins on Aug. 12. SSD has a special board meeting on Aug. 3.
Taft City School District: The TCSD will remain in a distance learning education model for the foreseeable future.
Taft Union High School District: The TUHSD Board accepted the recommendations of the Reopening School Planning Committee and authorized the district to begin preparations for a hybrid instructional model. The Board will meet again on August 3 in order to make a final decision on the model that will be implemented on August 13.
Tehachapi Unified School District: The TUSD Board of Trustees approved two options for the new school year, Virtual Learning and independent learning through the Tehachapi Independent Learning Program (TILA). School resumes for the TUSD on Aug. 12.
Wasco Union High School District: WUHSD does not have a specific plan in place yet. The board is looking at several options and is expected to make a decision at the next board meeting on Aug. 13.
Wasco Union Elementary School District: WUESD has opted for distance learning for the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year, as there would not be time to prepare for in-school instruction even if released from restrictions. School resumes for WUESD on Aug. 10.
Schools 23ABC is working to confirm:
Beardsley School District
Elk Hills School District
Linns Valley-Poso Flat Union School District
Midway School District
Muroc Joint Unified School District
Pond Union Elementary School District
Semitropic School District
Vineland Elementary School District
Maple School District
Greenfield Union School District
Southfork School District
Belridge School District
General Shafter School District
