The California Department of Public Health released guidelines Friday for commencement and graduation ceremonies, in an effort to help students, families and schools celebrate safely amid the pandemic.
In-person graduation ceremonies across California were cancelled or postponed last year due to the coronavirus, leaving students and families disappointed.
With graduations once again looming and schools beginning to reopen, the state has released new rules for outdoor, in-person ceremonies.
Among the requirements, schools must allow for two hours between ceremonies, seating should be assigned by household, households should be seated 6 feet apart and face masks must be worn.
When graduates enter and exit their ceremony, they must be 6 feet apart from one another and in a single line. They have to sit 6 feet apart, as well.
The ceremonies should follow the capacity rules for outdoor, seated live events and performances, which vary based on the reopening tier a county is in, authorities said.
All attendees, including students, count toward capacity limits.
Only graduates, household members, family members and school staff are allowed to attend, and must register beforehand.
If schools want to hold graduations or commencement ceremonies with a higher capacity than what is allowed in their county, the state offered a number of alternatives, such as drive-in, outdoor ceremonies with graduates marching, and families watching in their cars and listening to the event via local radio.
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