Senator Portantino Issues Statement on Legislation to Expand Safe, In-Person Classroom Instruction

For Immediate Release: March 4, 2021

Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 807-6091

Senator Portantino Issues Statement on Legislation to Expand Safe, In-Person Classroom Instruction

Sacramento, California - Senate Anthony J. Portantino (D-La Canada) released the following statement regarding legislation passed today to return California students back to their classrooms:

“Resuming in-person instruction is critical for children and families. Being back in the classroom means that we will be able to meet the learning needs, as well as the mental health and social-emotional needs, of our students and school communities.

$6.6 billion has been allocated to public schools across the state to help create safe learning environments for students and safe workplaces for educators. $2 billion will fund safety measures to support in-person instruction, such as personal protective equipment, ventilation upgrades and COVID-19 testing. $4.6 billion will fund expanded learning opportunities, such as summer school, tutoring and mental health services. The package also contains a key provision that prioritizes and accelerates vaccinations by setting aside 10 percent of vaccines for K-12 school staff.

Although we have more work to do, AB 86 is an important step forward to getting more of our children safely back into the classroom.”