Families and educators are struggling to implement home-learning plans during the coronavirus crisis. NBC 7’s Rory Devine reports.
The two largest school districts in California are asking the state for emergency support in the wake of school closures that are lasting longer than hoped.
The San Diego Unified School District and the Los Angeles Unified School District are asking the state for an additional $500 for every child in the state to help pay for the transition to full online learning.
In a letter to state officials, SDUSD Superintendent Cindy Marten and LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner also said they would like to form a task force.
"The combination of state policy makers and practitioners in the field working side by side (remotely of course) may be a sensible approach in these usual times," according to the letter.
SDUSD Trustee Richard Barrera said, “To the state, we’re saying here’s the support we need to get through the rest of school year online.”
Barrera said the state is anticipating a dramatic drop in state revenues which could make the financial situation even more difficult for school districts that depend on state funding.
To that point, Barrera said school districts need the federal government to take the lead in preventing layoffs of those who educate children.
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The Council of the Great City Schools, which according to its website, “brings together 76 of the nation’s largest urban school districts," sent a letter to the U.S. Congress, asking for federal dollars.
The Council urged lawmakers to include public schools in the stimulus package being considered.
“To avoid mass layoffs of people who educate our kids, we need to be included in the federal stimulus package,“ said Barrera, “and we need to be included in a major way.”
Read the full letters to Congress in the links below.
