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California schools scrambling for info, tech as year begins

Schools throughout California are receiving $5.3 billion in learning loss mitigation funds.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Millions of California children are already back in the virtual classroom. But families, teachers and districts are still scrambling to figure out some of the basics: How and when they can resume in-person learning and how to get the in-demand technology they need for distance learning now. 

State officials estimate 97 percent of California schoolchildren are starting the year online. Gov. Gavin Newsom tried to project control over the situation Friday, though he acknowledged it’s a “sub-optimal environment.” And though there are a slew of rules about what schools should do, the rules for being able to reopen for in-person instruction aren't set in stone. 

During his press conference, Newsom announced schools throughout California are receiving $5.3 billion in learning loss mitigation funds and signed an executive order directing state agencies to help bridge the digital divide by providing devices and internet hotspots throughout the state. 

“Schools may be physically closed, but in California at least, class is still in session,” Newsom said in a press release. “While more work remains, districts across the state are in a far better position this semester to provide meaningful distance instruction to every child.”

Also during his press conference, Newsom announced new executive team members for the Employment Development Department [EDD], and a senior advisor for the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. The EDD has been marred with controversy due to a backlog of unpaid unemployment claims throughout the coronavirus pandemic, when the unemployment rate in the state peaked at 14.7% during the pandemic

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