LAUSD keeps "no fail" policy, Long Beach schools to stay remote through Feb. amid COVID surge

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Two of the largest school districts in Southern California are making changes once again as the region continues to see concerning levels of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

The Los Angeles Unified School District announced this week it will not issue failing grades to students this semester. Instead, the district will defer any F grades until at least Jan. 29 in the hopes of giving struggling students more time to get their grade up.

The district says it recognizes how difficult this year has been on students and acknowledges an increase in Ds and Fs compared to last year.

Last week, a planned suspension of all in-person instruction and childcare programs for students within the district took effect. LAUSD had been offering one-on-one and small-group tutoring in person for students but those services made a shift to online.

The district also temporarily suspended childcare, which had been provided for the children of school-based employees and high-needs families.

A planned suspension of all in-person instruction and child care in the Los Angeles Unified School District took effect as the number of COVID-19 cases in the region continued to shatter daily records.

Meanwhile, Long Beach Unified School District announced Monday it will be closed for in-person instruction through February. The district plans to open March 1 at the earliest.

If that opening date isn't possible, school officials say the next reopening date would be April 12.

Long Beach schools originally planned to return to in-person instruction on Jan. 28 but the current surge in cases across the region and state have forced the district to adapt.

LAUSD students and parents will likely have to wait even longer to return. Last week, school officials said it might not happen until the summer of 2021.