State superintendent outlines California's public health guidance for schools

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - State Education Chief Tony Thurmond and district leaders discussed California’s guidelines for how schools can get kids back in the classroom.

Thurmond reviewed the state’s color-coded county tracking system and what it means for schools and efforts to open for in-person instruction.

He also discussed what it would take for elementary schools to open for classroom learning in counties where schools otherwise would be closed because of high rates of coronavirus infections.

Under the state’s system, a county that moves from the purple to red tier can open for in-person instruction after they have remained in that red tier for 14 days. 

As of Wednesday, three Bay Area counties--Santa Clara, San Francisco, and Napa--are in the red. The other six are in the purple category.

Watch the full webinar here: