State of California—Health and Human Services Agency

California Department of Public Health
SONIA Y. ANGELL, MD, MPH
State Public Health Officer & Director

GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor

COVID-19 and Reopening of In-Person Learning for Elementary Education
Waiver Notice to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
(for use by Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs))
August 3, 2020
Note: CDPH recommends that elementary schools within jurisdictions with 14day case rates more than two times the threshold to be on the County Monitoring
List (>200 cases/100,000 population) should not be considered for a waiver to reopen in-person instruction.
Instructions:
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Notice of all school or school district waivers proposed to be granted by a local
health officer using this form should be sent to CDPH.
For technical assistance regarding a waiver application, please contact CDPH.
Submit waiver notices and requests for technical assistance at this email
address: K6Waiver@cdph.ca.gov.
Please do not submit any of your supporting documentation with this form.
Submission of this document serves as your consultation with CDPH.
CDPH will acknowledge receipt and follow up if there are any questions or
concerns. If you have not received a further response within three business days
of submission, you may approve or deny the waiver application consistent with
the justification and guidance below.

Date of Application:
LHJ Name:
LHJ Contact:
Public Health Officer (If Not LHJ Contact):
Email:
Phone Number:
Justification: Based on the current best available scientific evidence, COVID-related
risks in schools serving elementary-age students (grades TK-6) are lower than and
different from the risks to staff and to students in schools serving older students. In
particular, there appears to be lower risk of child-to-child or child-to-adult transmission in
children under age 12, and the risk of infection and serious illness in elementary school
children is particularly low.

CDPH Director’s Office, MS 0500 l P.O. Box 997377 l Sacramento,
CA 95899-7377
(916) 558-1700 l (916) 558-1762 (fax)
Internet Address: www.cdph.ca.gov

 There are health-related risks for children who are not provided in-person instruction,
including lower rates of immunizations, higher rates of undetected child abuse and
neglect, and other negative indicators of public health and wellbeing.
Guidance:
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Consistent with state law directing school districts to “offer in-person instruction
to the greatest extent possible” (Ed. Code § 43504), local health officers should
allow in-person elementary instruction for grades TK-6 to proceed even in
counties subject to state monitoring if public health and safety guidance is
implemented.
Elementary in-person instruction must be provided in small, stable cohorts.
Local health officers may conditionally grant an application with limits on the
number of elementary schools allowed to re-open or allow re-opening in phases
to monitor for any impact on the community.
Local health officers in counties on the County Monitoring List within the prior 14
days must consult with CDPH (via submission of this form) before approving a
waiver application from a district or school.
The local health officer must confirm that they have considered the
following:
Health & Safety
 Local health guidance, including appropriate mandatory requirements
consistent with CDPH guidance
 Safety plans and availability of appropriate PPE, as recommended by the
local health officer and CDPH guidance, for all elementary teachers and
staff who will be involved in in-person instruction
 Availability of public health & school resources for COVID-19 investigation
and response
Local Epidemiological Data & Health Care Capacity
 Current new case rate, testing % positivity trends, and the number and
degree of indicators above thresholds to be on the monitoring list
 Local hospitalization trends and hospital capacity
 Any other local conditions or data contributing to inclusion on the
monitoring list (e.g., out of jurisdiction hospitalizations, enclosed
outbreaks, etc.)

CDPH Director’s Office, MS 0500 l P.O. Box 997377 l Sacramento, CA 95899-7377
(916) 558-1700 l (916) 558-1762 (fax)
Internet Address: www.cdph.ca.gov

 Testing
 Availability of testing resources within the community and, as applicable,
via employee health plans to provide access to periodic testing to all
elementary teachers and staff, with reasonable turn-around times
Other Consideration(s)
 The extent to which the school, school district, or system of private
schools has consulted with relevant labor, community, and parent
organizations, as applicable.
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Please list below the waiver applicant name(s), school name(s), grade levels
served, enrollment numbers, and the local health officer’s determination
regarding the request:
Waiver Applicant

School
Name

Grade
Levels

Enrollment

Approved or
Denied

CDPH Director’s Office, MS 0500 l P.O. Box 997377 l Sacramento, CA 95899-7377
(916) 558-1700 l (916) 558-1762 (fax)
Internet Address: www.cdph.ca.gov