Superintendent Serena says bill to let districts use virtual instruction on emergency days is moving to the Assembly

During the superintendent’s report, Superintendent Serena updated the board on calendar and legislative matters and described a pending state measure she said is moving toward an Assembly vote that would grant local districts authority to use virtual instruction on emergency days.

Serena explained the proposal would allow each district to determine when to use virtual instruction for events such as severe weather, the loss of heat in a single building, or localized flooding, provided the district notifies the county office. She framed the change as giving districts flexibility to maintain instructional time and avoid losing days to weather while keeping local control over decisions.

Serena said the district would not be required to adopt virtual days; instead, it would be an option for districts that choose to implement them. She described a possible model — for example, an 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. virtual day — to keep the academic calendar on track during clustered graduation weeks or other scheduling pressure points.

Separately, Serena welcomed students and staff visiting from local classes to observe the meeting as part of a political participation assignment and reminded the board that the retreat agenda will be circulated before the scheduled retreat. The transcript does not record legislative text or a bill number; Serena characterized the item as a bill advancing toward an Assembly vote.