Sacramento, CA…Today, California education and health officials released new guidance for K-12 schools to help education leaders meet the needs of all students affected by school closures, with an emphasis on assisting low-income children and those with disabilities.

This guidance follows Governor Gavin Newsom’s March 13 Executive Order, which ensured that schools continue to receive funding and outlined key efforts that schools should pursue, including educational opportunities via distance learning and independent study, provision of school meals in noncongregate settings, continued services for students with disabilities, and opportunities to support parents in securing care and supervision for their children.

“Even though a school may be physically closed, educating and feeding our kids shouldn’t stop. Students still need instruction – even if it’s at a distance. Our low-income students also continue to need access to free or reduced price, healthy meals,” said Governor Newsom.

The guidance focuses on four critical areas:

• Distance learning and independent study
• School meal delivery
• Accommodations for students with disabilities
• Child care and supervision

It also provides:

• Curated resources for schools to plan and implement distance learning tailored to their community’s needs and capacities;
• Best practices and examples in distance learning and independent study from districts around the state and nation;
• Best practices and examples in delivering school meals in noncongregate settings; and
• Curated resources for identifying local partnerships to support child care and supervision.

The guidance and materials can be found here.

The guidance was created by the California Department of Education, the State Board of Education, and the California Health and Human Services Agency.