San Francisco school district allows distance learning for 1% of students

(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

By Sri Ravipati

(SAN FRANCISCO) With the surge in cases of the highly transmissible delta variant, some parents in San Francisco say they don’t want their kids back in classrooms this fall and the school district is allowing it.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported the San Francisco Unified School District initially offered 450 spots to students seeking distance learning. The district later provided the distance learning option through an online academy to all 677 applicants or just over 1% of students. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until there is no longer space, the district said.

New state law requires districts to offer an independent study option to students whose parents consider in-person instruction a health risk. However, the legislation doesn't specify limiting the spaces or imposing a deadline to apply.

For the 1% of students allowed so far, their families found out on Monday. The first day of school is officially on Aug. 16 in San Francisco.

More families are asking for online options as the city grapples with a new surge of the delta variant.

Meanwhile, local, state and federal health officials are urging schools to fully reopen, citing isolation for students, low transmission in schools and low chance of students being seriously ill if they have COVID-19.

In Oakland, Castro Valley, Mt. Diablo and other districts nearby, thousands of students went back to school this week while wearing masks and being aware of the rising coronavirus cases in the community. Many Bay Area parents have pushed to reopen schools since the shutdown last year and trust the experts who say it’s safe.

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