Schools Reopening in July? The Concerns Over How Gov. Newsom’s Idea Will Work

Source: KQED

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s suggestion on Tuesday that schools could reopen for the next academic year as soon as late July or early August drew mixed reaction from parents, teachers and education officials — raising questions about safety, what classrooms will look like and whether schools have the money to pull it off.

Elisha Smith Arrillaga, executive director of The Education Trust-West, a nonprofit focusing on education equity, said her biggest concern is students who were on the margins academically before the pandemic hit.

“As we move into recovery, one of the most important things to do is going to be really centering how we engage those students and build the rest of the recovery mechanisms around those students,” Arrillaga said.

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Karla Fernandez

Communications Manager

Karla Fernandez (she/her/hers) joins Ed Trust–West as a Communications Manager with over 11 years of experience advancing social impact initiatives.

Karla started her career as a teacher at Chicago Public Schools and UIC College Prep. After teaching, Karla joined United Friends of the Children to support LA County’s youth in foster care as a college counselor. Through Leadership for Educational Equity, Karla also served as a Policy Advisor Fellow for the office of a Los Angeles Unified School Board Member. She solidified her interests in policy analysis and quantitative research during her time with the Price Center for Social Innovation, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, and the USC Presidential Working Group on Sustainability. Before joining The Education Trust–West, Karla was the Associate Director for the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative, a network of nonprofits advocating for communities in SELA.

Karla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Chicago, a Master of Public Policy from the USC Price School of Public Policy, and a Graduate Certificate in Policy Advocacy from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Karla is based out of southern California and is passionate about using data analysis, communications, and digital strategies for policy advocacy and social justice efforts.