Planning Update for 2020-21 School Year

Dear IUSD Community,

I would like to express our District’s collective gratitude and sincere appreciation for your partnership and support in managing the significant changes and challenges created by this global pandemic. We also recognize and empathize with the realities of these impacts and have developed richer insights into how to navigate these challenges with your continued feedback.

While IUSD is working diligently to support students, teachers, staff and families in the final days of this school year, we know that our community is looking ahead to the 2020-21 school year, wondering what it may look like. Our IUSD team is working daily on planning for the new school year. Below is a brief update to keep you informed about our planning considerations and next steps.

As you know, the COVID-19 public health crisis continues to evolve and is fluid. Although we do not know what conditions will be at the start of the new school year, IUSD will continue to collaborate with expert agencies, state and local officials, the Orange County Department of Education, other school districts, and our students, staff and families. We will explore options for safely beginning the school year, while maintaining academic excellence, which has become the hallmark of IUSD.

Start of the 2020-21 School Year
At this time, both year round and traditional schools are scheduled to start on time (July 15 and August 20 respectively). We are closely monitoring the situation and will provide an update for our year round schools once we learn more about the implications of the awaited California Department of Public Health guidelines, which are set to be released for review in early June with additional guidance from the Orange County Health Care Agency. We will continue to provide our entire IUSD community with updates as we have them. Please ensure your contact information in Parent Portal is up to date and that you check your email regularly this summer.

IUSD Task Force
District staff will continue to work through the summer, while following the guidelines of expert agencies, to ensure we are ready for the safe return of students and staff, whether in-person, through distance learning or a blended approach. This includes convening a task force comprised of District leadership, parents, students, principals, teachers, staff, and school nurses. More information about the work of this task force will be provided in the coming weeks, including opportunities for all IUSD families and staff to share their insights and feedback to support our planning.

Fiscal Considerations
As you may know, the Governor recently announced proposed cuts to education funding, which is another important consideration in the IUSD planning process. However, IUSD’s growth in recent years, coupled with our sound fiscal investments and management has positioned us to address these potential challenges better than most districts in California. We will continue to monitor these state funding developments and proactively advocate for the interests of our IUSD community.

Safety is our Top Priority
Please know that the health, safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and families is our top priority. Any IUSD decisions will be made through this lens.

In the meantime, please visit iusd.org/COVID19 for an FAQ, resources and information.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to navigate this complex situation, while taking into account the many diverse perspectives and needs of our community.