Newsom hints imminent deal with legislature on school reopening package

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that a deal with the state legislature for an “early action package” to reopen schools should be finalized this week.

Newsom, who spoke at San Diego’s Petco Park, said he hopes to reveal “very, very shortly” the terms of the package, which would include a “prioritization framework” to get teachers vaccinated.

The proposed $6.6 billion early action package has been scrutinized by five unions representing school employees, which stated last week that they want a plan that would require that the state offer vaccinations to school employees before they return for in-person instruction.

Newsom, last week, said his view on vaccinations is “aligned” with the position of Centers for Disease Control director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and the Biden administration, which is that vaccinating teachers is not a prerequisite for safely reopening schools.