Amid the national surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant, Gov. Newsom today signed an executive order to provide staffing flexibility for schools to support continued safe, in-person instruction for students.

The governor’s order supports schools to maintain safe and orderly operations by lowering state barriers that delay the hire of qualified short-term substitute teachers, permitting substitute teachers to have their assignments extended, and providing additional flexibility to support retired teachers who have returned to the classroom, as well as eliminating barriers that may prevent additional retired teachers from returning. The flexibilities provided under the order expire on March 31, 2022, and are only available to schools that make findings that the flexibilities will support in-person services for students despite staffing shortages caused by the surge in COVID cases. This order expands and improves previous orders (N-12-21 and N-25-20) that lowered barriers for retired teachers and classified staff to return to the classroom.

The San Diego County Office of Education team is analyzing the new order and will share additional updates as appropriate.

Thank you for all that you do. As always, please reach out if you have any questions.

email: paul.gothold@sdcoe.net