2020 Graduation Ceremonies Approved, With Guidelines
With the announcement by Governor Abbott and guidance from TEA published on May 5, 2020, respectively, schools now have parameters for planning commencement ceremonies for their 2020 seniors, as well as other end-of-year promotion activities (e.g., Kindergarten graduation). Albeit good news for many districts, the constraints outlined by the TEA guidelines will necessarily require careful consideration and event planning by District leadership teams.

We have outlined below our interpretation and recommendations for the ceremony development process. The final Plan for commencement events should reflect the school district’s good faith effort to comply with directives from the State. Note, the Commissioner advises that your local legal counsel provide input on your Plan first, followed by a review from your “local jurisdiction” (i.e., County Judge) prior to finalization.
What type of ceremony will you have?
Under the Executive Order, four types of graduation ceremonies are allowable:
1. Virtual Ceremony – Ceremony in which individuals participate from independent locations, simultaneously, via Zoom, Facebook Live, etc. These are approved without specific guidelines or constraints from TEA.
2.   Hybrid Ceremony – Graduates enter individually or in small groups to be filmed or photographed receiving diplomas; all footage is compiled to create one ceremony that can be streamed, broadcast or published as a video file.
3.   Vehicle Ceremony – Graduates and their guests attend the ceremony in vehicles. Graduates may be allowed to exit their vehicles individually to walk the stage.
4.     Outdoor Ceremony – Ceremony that can be held in an outdoor, open air facility.

Options 2, 3, and 4 all require strict compliance with TEA guidelines (see below).
 
*NOTE: The Hybrid Ceremony model is the ONLY type of indoor ceremony that has been approved by TEA.
How should we document/advertise our Plan?
We recommend, at a minimum, development of two documents:

1. 2020 Commencement Ceremony Operational Plan

This official Plan document would address all logistical aspects of the ceremony, including graduate and guest seating and social distancing, safety and health protocols, etc. The Plan would be developed by district and campus leadership and disseminated to all staff involved in the ceremony.

2. 2020 Commencement Ceremony Graduate & Guest Guidelines

The Guideline document would be sent to all graduates and their families to explain the schedule, procedures and safety measures in place for the ceremony. We also recommend that the Guidelines include expectations for compliance with social distancing and any pre-screening procedures that need to be completed prior to attendance at the event.
What should be included in the Operational Plan?
Requirements for components of the Operational Plan vary depending upon which type of graduation ceremony you conduct. Virtual ceremonies have been approved by TEA since April 21 st with no specific constraints.
 
Please note, there are multiple layers of guidance from the Governor, TEA, and other regulatory agencies. As such, some protocols overlap and must apply simultaneously. We have  provided the protocols below with additional hyperlinks. We recommend printing all for review and study.
 
Click HERE for guidance on each type of ceremony.

Final Thoughts
Regardless of the graduation format selected, be advised that school facilities are "open" only for limited purposes identified by the Commissioner (e.g., commencement/promotion ceremonies, “administrative” tasks, etc.). School buildings should be kept closed and signs should be posted to ensure that students and families do not enter school buildings before/after the event, without explicit authorization.
 
To ensure that you and your leadership team have carefully read both the Governor’s Executive Order and TEA’s guidance document on 2020 commencement ceremonies, refer to the below the links: 
 
 

We recommend discussing Plan development, logistical questions, and dissemination of your Operational Plan with your local school attorney to ensure legal compliance.

Student Visits to School Facilities During Closure

Effective May 5, 2020, via the Governor’s Executive Order GA-21, students are now allowed to visit district facilities for non-instructional end-of-year “administrative” purposes, and for necessary instructional tasks by graduating seniors.  

TEA published its “Minimum Standard Health Protocols on Visits to Schools During Campus Closures” on May 5, 2020, simultaneously with the Governor’s Order, to provide guidance on safe and limited campus access by students. That document outlines specific requirements that districts must follow when allowing students on campus. We have outlined our interpretation of these requirements as well as practical guidance for districts to utilize when allowing student on campus.
Permissible Purposes for Student Visits

Students may visit district facilities for non-instructional “administrative” purposes. These tasks may include returning district property such as library books, band instruments, baseball uniforms, track spikes, and any other property that is lent to students. Additionally, students may need to access school property to collect personal belongings from their school or athletic locker, desk, or classroom.

Graduating seniors may access district property to complete “post-secondary educational requirements that cannot be completed virtually.” These post-secondary tasks likely pertain to CTE courses with “hands on” requirements for completion of the program or certification. Examples might include a student’s use of the district’s equipment in the ag shop to complete a welding certificate, use of the district’s medical practice mannequin to complete a hands-on component of a phlebotomy course, or any other program that cannot be completed through virtual instruction alone.

Once students are present on campus, certain health and safety measures must be followed by the district to ensure compliance with the Governor and TEA regulations.

We have summarized the requirements, along with some additional considerations for implementation, HERE .          

In addition to KBS’s summary of the campus visitation parameters, ensure that you and your leadership team have carefully read TEA’s guidance document “Minimum Standard Health Protocols on Visits to Schools During Campus Closures.”

Review the TEA Guidance HERE .

We recommend discussing any unique scenarios with your local school attorney to ensure legal compliance with campus visit protocols.