Yesterday theCalifornia Department of Public Health (CDPH) released guidance on youth sports and detailed the process for elementary schools to request a waiver to resume in-person instruction in counties on the state monitoring list. Limitations apply for counties on the State’s monitoring list.

Youth Sports

The guidance for youth sports establishes a consistent set of rules that apply to all youth sports programs —including school-based, club, and recreational programs. Outdoor and indoor sporting events, assemblies, and other activities that require close contact or that would promote congregating, such as tournaments and competitions, are not permitted at this time.

Youth sports and physical education are permitted outdoors only when physical distancing of at least six feet and a stable cohort of participants, such as a class, can be maintained.

For counties on the State’s monitoring list where gyms and fitness centers are required to be closed to indoor operations, youth sport activities are required to take place outside.

Adult, amateur (non-professional) team sports are not permitted at this time. The state plans to issue guidance for amateur, adult team sports soon.

More information can be found in the youth sports guidance. https://tinyurl.com/yy6mz63o

School Waiver - Process for Elementary Schools

The waiver may only be submitted to the Local Public Health Department by a district superintendent, private school principal or head of school, or executive director of a charter school. All waiver applications must show the decision to apply for the waiver was determined in consultation with parent, labor, and community organizations at each school site for which an application is being submitted.

This waiver is applicable only for grades TK-6, even if the grade configuration at the school includes additional grades.

The process for submitting the waiver is still being finalized. Butte County Public Health(BCPH) will contact schools in Butte County to let them know what is required in order to submit the waiver. Schools should not submit the waiver until they have received instructions from BCPH.

Parents, teachers, staff and community members should contact their school directly with questions or comments about the waiver andshould notcontact Butte County Public Health regarding the waiver process. Schools are required to consult with these groups prior to submitting a waiver.

In considering the waiver application, Public Health must review local community epidemiological data, consider other public health interventions, and consult with CDPH to determine if the waiver will be granted.

The State recommends that counties on the monitoring list with 14-day case rates more than two times the threshold (200 cases per 100,000 residents) should not be consideredfor a waiver to re-open in-person instruction.The Butte County case rate is nearing that threshold. Schools may submit the waiver request, but should understand they may or may not be approved based on our 14-day case rate and other criteria listed by the state.

More information can be found in the school waiver process guidance.https://tinyurl.com/y42med3m

Earlier this month, CDPH released the COVID-19 and Reopening in-Person Learning Framework for K-12 Schools in California, 2020-2021 School Year.The framework applies to public, charter and private schools. Butte County is currently on the State’s monitoring list and must conduct distancing learning until we are off the list for 14 days. Schools cannot open for in-person instruction without a waiver until we are off the list for 14 days.The status of each county and the monitoring list can be found online at, https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap-counties/. Scroll to the middle of the webpage to view the map.