Commissioner Morath highlighted some updates in the newly revised guidance posted on the Texas Education Agency website:
On-Campus and Remote Instruction Requirements for Funding
During the first three weeks of the school year, districts can limit access to on-campus instruction (to a certain percentage of students each day, certain grades or classes, or full virtual instruction). However, students who do not have access to Internet or devices at home for remote learning must be allowed on campus (even if instruction is fully virtual during this period).
After the first three weeks of school (except when a campus is ordered closed or has a confirmed case of COVID-19 on campus),
on-campus instruction
must be provided
for all grades served
every day
for
all students whose parents want them to attend
on campus
, in order for a district to receive funding for remote instruction any day.
If a campus is ordered closed, remote instruction will be funded. If a campus is closed due to a confirmed COVID-19 case on campus, remote instruction will be funded for up to five days for participating students, and after those five days the campus must be open for on campus instruction again in order to be eligible for any funding (on campus or remote).
Districts may offer a hybrid model that includes some (but less than daily) on campus attendance and some remote instruction, but only for students and families who choose that model.
Districts may limit the ability to transition from remote to on-campus instruction to the end of a grading period (unless remote instruction was only used due to 2-week isolation following COVID-19 exposure), but daily on-campus instruction must be available for any parent who chooses it in order for the district to be eligible for funding. Districts also may not ask parents to commit to one method of instruction over the other prior to two weeks before the school year begins.
Health Guidance
One week prior to the start of on-campus activities, schools must post a summary of their plan to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. There are many additional details listed in the
Health Planning Guidance
regarding screening requirements for students, staff, and visitors, required actions for confirmed cases, and operational considerations for health/hygiene practices, masks, and maintaining distance.
Attendance and Enrollment
More guidance was posted regarding the different methods of attendance and enrollment available through remote instruction as well. To help explain the different options, TEA posted this
SY 20-21 Attendance Method Comparison Chart
. You can also find these other newly posted documents:
