Pasadena Unified Seeks to Continue Emergency Powers for Superintendent During Pandemic

Almost a year ago, California was placed under a state of emergency due to COVID-19, effectively resulting in Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) giving the district superintendent the power to take any action necessary so school could continue, while ensuring the health and safety of students and school staff.

The Pasadena Board of Education is meeting on Thursday, Jan. 28, to discuss the possibility of continuing this arrangement into the future.

At the meeting, the board will deliberate on a draft resolution that would authorize PUSD Superintendent Brian McDonald to continue exercising his discretion in responding effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. An earlier authorization, granted last July, expired on Dec. 31.

“Due to the unprecedented surge in positive cases in Pasadena due to recent holiday travel and the Governing Board’s desire to keep students and staff as safe as possible, it is imperative to have the tools to ensure student learning continues if student education needs to be conducted from alternate locations or virtual learning environments,” the draft resolution reads.

Once approved by the board, the resolution will authorize the superintendent, or his designee, to take “any and all actions necessary to ensure the continuation of public education and the health and safety of the students and staff at the district sites.”

Such actions include relocating students and staff when necessary, continued daily student transportation, provision of alternative educational program options, directing staff to serve as disaster service workers, announcing a return to in-person instruction when conditions allow, and closing a school site to in-person instruction, or moving the district from in-person instruction to remote instruction as needed to respond to health conditions.

The resolution will be in effect until one of three conditions are met: the governor decides to override any provision, the Los Angeles County Department of Health declares the coronavirus conditions no longer a public health threat, or the school year ends, which is on June 30.

Officially, the Board of Education meeting begins at 12:30 p.m. but recesses into a closed session after roll call. The public meeting begins at 3 p.m. and will be via audio teleconferencing. It will be broadcast live on Charter Cable Channel 95, and on the internet at http://live.boardmeetings.info.

Rebroadcasts are also aired several times during the week. For the schedule, call (800) 912-KLRN or visit www.KLRN.us. If you require Spanish translation, send an email to superintendent@pusd.us at least 24 hours before the meeting start time.

Prior to the start of the meeting, members of the community may submit comments of not more than 450 words by email to superintendent@pusd.us. Comments will be read by the Board Clerk during the meeting.