Schools that are already open will not be forced to shut down as part of the state’s new Stay at Home order.
Although there are gaps in the data on Covid-19 transmission in schools, Brown University Economics Professor Emily Oster told KCBS that in-person learning seems to be better for kids, if there is a way to do it safely. Oster has been studying how Covid-19 is spreading in places where schools have reopened.
"Remote learning is really not working well for a lot of kids and we’re seeing increasingly very bad signs about both learning and mental health." Oster continued that "it has got to be a priority to figure out how we can do this safely, particularly for the youngest learners."
Presenting her research as part of the UCSF School of Medicine Covid-19 Grand Rounds series, Oster said there has not been evidence of major outbreaks in elementary schools. She recommended that the focus should mainly be on how to protect teachers, since they are at higher risk than their young students.
While elementary schools are the most safe to reopen, she is more hesitant about opening high schools. With high schools come sports and activities, and these elevate risk.
She noted that sports and similar activities are "a little more complicated," but said she would open schools through elementary levels, and across the board for kids with special needs, "in any tier."