REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 10, 2021
FROM
CURT HAGMAN, Chairman and Fourth District Supervisor, Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
Support for Schools and School Districts in San Bernardino County
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Adopt resolution regarding continued support to local schools and school districts in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and related State mandates.
(Presenter: Curt Hagman, Chairman and Fourth District Supervisor, 387-4866)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not require the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
COVID-19 originated in late 2019 and began spreading, initially, within China and then to other countries. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak to be a “public health emergency of international concern”. This was followed on January 31, 2020 by the United States Human Services Secretary declaring a public health emergency.
On March 4, 2020, the State of California declared a state of emergency as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak due to the rising number of confirmed cases and anticipated complications for those infected, including potential deaths. On March 10, 2020, the County Public Health Officer declared a local health emergency to help ensure county government and the public were prepared for the possibility that COVID-19 will appear within the county. On March 10, 2020 (Item No. 75), the Board of Supervisors (Board) proclaimed the existence of a local emergency within San Bernardino County (County) resulting from COVID-19, which causes infectious disease resulting in symptoms of fever, coughing and shortness of breath with outcomes ranging from mild to severe illness and in some cases, death.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and various Gubernatorial and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) orders issued to combat COVID-19, including sheltering in-place, local school districts, parents and students endured distance learning throughout a significant portion of the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. Students suffered impacts to their ability to learn in a normal, in-person education setting and engage in important educational and social interactions with classmates and teachers.
In July 2021, CDPH issued mandated guidance for indoor K-12 instruction and directed school districts to develop plans to ensure compliance with the CDPH mandates. School districts and county boards of education are independent legal entities governed by a Board of Education or Board of Trustees and ultimately fall under the jurisdiction of the State. Therefore, the County has no legal authority to modify State public health mandates. The proposed Resolution formalizes the County’s intent to assist local schools and school districts in their compliance with State mandates and other measures to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Michelle Blakemore, County Counsel, 387-5445) on August 6, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on August 6, 2021.