LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner announced on Monday plans to return all district students to in-person learning five days a week starting this fall but will retain an online option.

"Looking down the path to recovery and the new school year which starts this fall, all students will have the opportunity to participate in full-day, on-campus, in-person instruction," Beutner said. "That means elementary school students will be on campus 5 days a week for a full day of in-person instruction with their teacher and classmates. Middle school and high school students will be on campus 5 days a week for a full schedule of instruction, changing classrooms for each period. For both elementary and secondary students, after-school programs will be available from the end of the school day until 6:00 pm."

LAUSD campuses closed in the first half of 2020, in the early days of the pandemic. Since then, students at some schools have returned to some form of in-person learning, while many have maintained remote learning practices.

As part of the plan to return students to in-person class, the district will be implementing extensive COVID-19 safety protocols.

"Los Angeles Unified has in place the highest set of safety standards of any school district in the nation," said Beutner. "Air-filtration systems have been upgraded in every school and the air is filtered through the equivalent of an N-95 mask, schools have adequate supplies of masks and personal protective equipment, custodial staff has been increased to keep schools clean and safe, and all students and staff on campus are tested regularly for COVID-19. These safety measures will continue and be in place when the new school year starts in August."

Students and staff will wear masks until more children are vaccinated, he said.

Beutner also stated that an online option must remain in place for the next school year for students who are unable or choose not to come to schools for in-person instruction.

The superintendent reiterated his assertion that Los Angeles Unified has in place the highest safety standards of any school district in the nation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.