L.A. schools to reopen in April in union deal

[NFA] Public schools in Los Angeles are set to reopen starting in April, after a teachers' union approved a plan for physical and hybrid return to classes.

Freddie Joyner has more.

Los Angeles public schools are set to reopen in April… after a teachers' union approved a plan for a mix of in-person classes and virtual learning for the second-largest school district in the United States.

More than a year after the novel coronavirus prompted widespread school closures across the United States, many schools have had to teach students remotely.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been aiming to reopen in-person education for millions of public school students without sparking coronavirus outbreaks.

The Los Angeles Unified School District – which covers more than half a million students - tentatively plans for physical classes to restart at elementary and preschools by mid-April, while grades 7-12 are scheduled to return by about the end of April.

Under the agreement, elementary teachers will be expected to teach from their classrooms unless they have a verified medical reason to stay remote.

Middle- and high-school teachers will teach most classes virtually.

The union said the district was also considering using outdoor tents for exceptionally large class sizes.

This news comes after new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said masked students could safely learn three feet apart - down from the previously-recommended six feet.

The teachers' union said this change would not impact the agreement or its other safety measures - which include personal protective equipment, improved ventilation, daily cleaning and disinfection.