California had previously created a waiver program for schools to apply to reopen, during which L.A. County allowed the reopening of schools for grades TK-2. The deadline to apply for such waivers ended on Jan. 14, with the caveat that only those schools that had reopened with approved waivers could remain open.
Now, under the current guidelines, any school that had not applied for a waiver, or who had received a waiver but not reopened prior to Jan. 14, would have to wait to reopen in-person instruction for any grade until the case rate in Los Angeles County falls below 25 cases per 100,000 people per day for five consecutive days.