Five-day school week not happening, says DUSD

DOWNEY — Students will not be returning to a five-day school week when school resumes in August, according to a recent update given by the Downey Unified School District on Tuesday.

DUSD has been relatively tight-lipped as to what awaits students in the 2020-21 school year, with Superintendent Dr. John Garcia citing an unwillingness to commit to any specific details amidst a myriad of fluid regulations and mandates coming from higher government agencies.

However, this changed Tuesday when the district released a statement, saying in part that, “a five-day per week return for students is not a viable option.”

Instead, the district projected two scenarios.

The first – a “hybrid model” – would see students in the classroom for two days a week and participating in distance learning for the remainder of the week.

The second choice would be a full-time distance learning alternative, specifically for students and families who have health-related concerns and/or other concerns related to an in-person return.

The district said that they will be sending out a more descriptive and detailed parent survey next week.