LA County schools prepare for possible closures due to coronavirus fears

LOS ANGELES - Schools in Los Angeles County are preparing for COVID-19 which could include the possibility of shutting schools to protect students and teachers.

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom toured Mark Twain Elementary School in Long Beach on Friday to promote Prop 13 a $15 million dollar bond measure for school construction. 

At the same time, schools all over LA County and beyond are preparing for the possibility of school closures due to the coronavirus.

Click here for more news related to the coronavirus outbreak. 

Dr. Debra Duardo of the LA County Office of Education oversees the 80 districts and a million and half students. 

“What we’re doing is we’re just telling everybody you need to be prepared and we’re offering some info that we have some templates some tool kits some things that they can use that we’ve collected and that other districts are already doing,” Dr. Duardo said. 
      
Duardo believes closures… if needed, will be determined on a case by case basis. 

But parents rely on schools for more than just their child’s education. 

Alhambra Unified told FOX 11 “the district is also aware that many of our students and families rely on the many services we provide beyond instruction, such as school meal programs and childcare. We are exploring ways in which we will be able to continue to provide these services in the event of school closures” 

These emergency accommodations will likely cost schools... the governor says right now, school districts are not getting extra funding or help from California, but he’s confident it will be there if needed. 

“If it lingers as it is or we go from zero to 60 to make sure that we are providing the support, Human Resources and economic reimbursements to school districts to communities large and small,” Newsom stated.