New map shows which California school districts are open

A beta version of a new map released by the state of California on Friday provides a snapshot of public school reopenings across the state.

The interactive map allows you to see where elementary, middle and high schools are operating with in-person, hybrid or distance-only learning.

For a school to be considered open for in-person instruction, all students in at least one or more grade levels have returned to the classroom full time. In a hybrid model, students in one or more grade levels are receiving a combination of remote and on-campus instruction. Districts categorized as distance learning only offer no in-person instruction.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement the map was created to provide transparency in the state's school reopening and to supports local communities in making data-driven decisions to safely open classrooms.

"As COVID-19 conditions continue to improve and vaccinations ramp up throughout the state, this map will provide local communities with accessible, up-to-date information on how districts in their communities and beyond are adapting to the pandemic, including safety planning and implementation," Newsom said. "This map is one of many resources we have made available that will help school staff and families make informed decisions as we safely reopen our schools."

The map is part of the state's new Safe Schools for All Plan launched last month that changed the requirements for opening schools.

Schools are now allowed to open grades kindergarten through sixth if their county is in the purple tier in the state's color-coded reopening framework, which dictates what sectors can open.

To welcome students back to elementary school campuses, the county must also have an "adjusted case rate" below 25 cases per 100,000 population per day in that county and a COVID-19 safety plan filed with the state. Previously, elementary schools could only open if the county was in the red tier. Grades seventh through 12th are still not allowed to open in counties in the purple tier.

In the Bay Area, all nine counties are in the purple tier. The map shows several districts' elementary schools are open across Marin, Napa and San Mateo counties. The largest districts in the Bay Area — San Francisco Unified, Oakland Unified, Fremont Unified, San Jose Unified and Mount Diablo Unified School District — are operating with distance learning only at all public schools, across all grade levels, according to the map.

In Santa Clara County, Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High, Los Altos Unified and Palo Alto Unified are offering hybrid learning. In the East Bay, according to the map, only San Ramon Valley Unified is open with hybrid learning in elementary.

SFGATE cross-checked some information on the map with Bay Area schools districts and found it's missing a few that are open. In the East Bay, for example, Orinda Union and Mountain House Elementary are offering some hybrid learning, and this isn't noted on the map. Piedmont is also providing some in-person instruction.

The state site said the map is updated continuously.