Linfield Christian, Rancho Community Schools Allowed To Reopen

TEMECULA, CA — Two Temecula-based private Christian schools were allowed to reopen this week following county and state approval.

Linfield Christian School and Rancho Community Church and Schools join several other private schools in the county that have been allowed to reopen under a waiver program announced last month by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The waiver program was launched for all California schools, which were required to go to online learning amid coronavirus concerns.

The two Temecula schools were approved to reopen Monday. Linfield will begin in-person TK-6 instruction Sept. 21, while Rancho Community Church and Schools will start Sept. 22, officials announced.

Under the state's waiver program, schools serving grades TK-6 can apply to reopen for in-person classes. If approved, only children in those grades levels may attend classes on campus. Students in higher grade levels must continue with online learning, regardless of whether their school receives a waiver.

To date, dozens of private schools in Riverside County have applied for a waiver. See the full list here. No public schools have applied.

However, the waiver program may become obsolete next week in Riverside County. New data released Tuesday show the county has met the state's coronavirus thresholds required to reopen more industry sectors, including schools.

For the first time since California's color-coded four-tiered "Blueprint" for reopening was unveiled on Aug. 31, Riverside County has met the criteria for moving from the "purple tier" to the less-restrictive "red tier."

A county spokesman said officials expect the state to announce Riverside County's move to the red tier on Sept. 22.

Several private schools across California sued the state over campus closures. Linfield Christian School in Temecula and Calvary Murrieta were among them. The Orange County Board of Education, which serves public schools in the neighboring county, also filed a suit.

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