LAUSD School Board Approves Distance Learning Deal Between Superintendent, Teacher's Union

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The Los Angeles Unified School Board has voted unanimously to approve the distance learning labor deal made between Superintendent Austin Beutner and United Teachers Los Angeles Tuesday.

The board was scheduled to vote today on a tentative agreement with the union including an average school day that would be from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., small group instruction and flexibility for teachers to work on campus or from home. 

UTLA said on Twitter late Tuesday "Unanimous approval by @LASchools Board of our crisis distance learning agreement .... now it goes to UTLA members. Online voting starts tomorrow — check your email in the morning!"

The union members begin voting Wednesday.

Unanimous approval by @LASchools Board of our crisis distance learning agreement .... now it goes to UTLA members. Online voting starts tomorrow — check your email in the morning! https://t.co/eoasdIkgPu

— United Teachers Los Angeles (@UTLAnow) August 11, 2020

LAUSD and San Diego School District had announced in July that their school year will start online and school campuses will remain closed. LAUSD starts Aug. 18.

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles teacher's union and LAUSD reached a tentative agreement about rules for instruction for the coming fall school year.  In August it was reported that although all campuses will remain closed, according to the agreement, the students will have virtual learning with a schedule that reflects a regular school day. 

After a marathon weekend of bargaining, UTLA and LAUSD reached a tentative agreement late tonight on crisis distance learning for 2020-21.The agreement is tentative, pending a vote of UTLA members and the LAUSD School Board. More details on the voting timeline tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/gtHNOC3Io6

— United Teachers Los Angeles (@UTLAnow) August 3, 2020

In California, Newsom ordered the closure of schools for in-person classes for those Calfornia counties that are on the state monitoring list which stands at more than 30 counties currently.

Newsom said schools can physically reopen when its county has been off the monitoring list for 14 consecutive days. Schools that don't meet this requirement must begin the year with distance learning, according to Newsom. 

Newsom said the schools in those counties on the watch list can't reopen in-person school until they are off the state monitoring list for two weeks straight unless the district superintendent requests a waiver from the county health officer, which may be granted.

They will shift to distance learning in more than 30 counties. That includes Los Angeles County, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange County and Ventura County and counties up north like Alameda County, Marin County, Monterey and Napa.