Fresno Unified School District is giving parents of elementary students more time to respond to a survey about whether they want their kids back in school or remaining on distance learning once Fresno County reaches the orange tier in the state’s COVID-19 reopening plan.

Since most of California is in the purple tier now, it may be some time before Fresno’s schools get the green light to reopen on a limited basis.

But the district needs to start planning now for that day, to make sure there will be enough teachers and classroom spaces available. Fresno Unified plans for teachers to instruct their pupils in-person and online simultaneously.

The deadline for parents to complete the online survey has been pushed back from Thursday to Dec. 11, district spokeswoman Amy Idsvoog said Tuesday.

More than 40,000 elementary students are enrolled in the district, but only 2,200 responses have come in so far, she said.

District Offers Options

Parents have three choices on the survey: Return kids to school for four days on alternating weeks, with Mondays and opposite weeks online; return kids to school for two days weekly, with three days online; or keep kids on online education altogether.

To keep class sizes small so students can be adequately distanced, students will need to return on a hybrid schedule that has yet to be determined.

Under the reopening plan, students would remain on distance learning for the entire third quarter — through March 19 — if the county has not yet moved into the orange tier by Feb. 23.

Once the county reaches the orange tier, students will return in phases, starting with transitional kindergarten through first-grade students and gradually adding older children.