The Texas education commissioner has announced giving school districts the option of starting the school year with up to eight weeks of limited on campus instruction.
Friday’s announcement from commissioner Mike Morath states that school districts wanting to limit on-campus instruction after the first four weeks of the school year must send a board-approved waiver request to the Texas Education Agency.
The announcement also stated “Any student requiring on-campus instruction during this period—i.e. those who need reliable access to technology—will still be entitled to on-campus instruction every day during this transition period.”
Additionally, “Local school boards for districts in areas with high levels of community spread also retain the flexibility to delay the start of the school year.”
The state is also giving “school systems with the ability to convert high schools—with school board approval—to a full-time hybrid model once students have transitioned back to on-campus instruction.”
And the commissioner stated “One week prior to the start of on-campus activities and instruction, school systems must post for parents and the general public a summary of the plan—developed in consultation with their teachers, staff, and parents—that they will follow to mitigate COVID-19 spread in their schools based on the requirements and recommendations outlined in TEA’s updated public health planning guidance.”