Elementary schools in Los Angeles can apply for waivers

Elementary schools in Los Angeles County will be able to apply for waivers to resume in-person instruction for students in transitional kindergarten through second grade.

The county’s Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution to allow waivers for those grades. The waiver process will be stricter than the state’s guidelines for waivers, which say that waivers can be made available for students in grades TK through sixth.

The resolution approved Tuesday limits the number of schools that can be approved for waivers to 30 per week. Waivers will be prioritized for schools with high percentages of students who qualify for free or reduced price meals.

“The state, county and school districts have invested heavily in distance learning technology, however gaps still exist that disproportionately impact minority communities,” said Board Chair Kathryn Barger, one of the authors of the resolution, according to the Los Angeles Times. “All students are entitled to a free and appropriate education. For many of our students most at risk, distance learning is neither free nor appropriate.”