The CDPH recently updated their COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K–12 Schools to Support Safe In-Person Learning, 2022–2023 School Year. See below for some of their general reccomendations:
- The guidance is effective July 1, 2022, unless otherwise stated, and will continue to be reviewed regularly by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
- For ease of reference, the guidance includes information about certain relevant requirements outside of CDPH authority. See the linked sources noted within Required Actions below for more details.
- California affirms the authority of local health departments and local educational agencies to maintain or establish additional guidance, including required actions, for K–12 school settings in their respective jurisdictions. When making a determination of whether additional measures are warranted to mitigate in-school transmission of COVID-19, CDPH recommends local health and education officials confer and review this guidance, relevant local considerations, and CDC guidance.
- In workplaces, employers are subject to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) or in some workplaces the Cal/OSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Standard, and should consult those regulations for additional applicable requirements.
- When applying this guidance, consideration should be given to the direct school population and the surrounding community. Factors include:
- CDC community level indicators of COVID-19 and their trajectory;
- COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the community and among students, teachers, and staff;
- local COVID-19 outbreaks or transmission patterns;
- indoor air quality at relevant facilities;
- availability and accessibility of resources, including masks and tests;
- ability to provide therapeutics in a timely and equitable manner as they become available;
- equity considerations, including populations disproportionately impacted by and exposed to COVID-19;
- local demographics, including serving specialized populations of individuals at high risk of severe disease and immunocompromised populations; and
- community input, including from students, families, and staff.
- It is recommended that schools communicate to students, parents, staff, and the broader school community about the measures in place to safeguard health and well-being. This can include direct dissemination of safety plans (e.g., via email), providing information for students to take home to their families, and/or posting plans on a school’s website or around campus. Communication should be cognizant of languages spoken and literacy levels of community members.
If you have any questions about how these regulations affect your district, please reach out to our Member Services Department.