News Update

Data glitch, confusion over county monitoring list, prompt school closures

Three small schools in Mendocino County were told they needed to close in-person learning on Wednesday after officials determined their county was on the state’s monitoring list. The confusion began on Tuesday when the schools were told by county Schools Superintendent Michelle Hutchins who was told by the state that they could stay open but on Wednesday the state reversed course and said they had to close. As a result, Whale Gulch School, the Waldorf School of Mendocino County and the Ukiah Junior Academy Christian school were forced to move to distance learning.

Part of the confusion stemmed from a data glitch that froze the county monitoring list late last month, after it was discovered that the state’s database numbers for Covid-19 cases were inaccurate. Since the county was not on the list before it was frozen, schools assumed they were free to open for in-person instruction. However, they were told on Wednesday that the state decided to retroactively add the county to the list as of July 25, before they opened. This means that all public and private schools in the county are not allowed to open for in-person instruction until the county is removed from the list for 14 consecutive days. However, the schools can apply for elementary waivers for their K-6 students, based on state guidance.