Texas schools look into education alternatives to make up for lost in-person class instruction

Many Houston parents are dealing with the frustrations of online learning, which has brought about the idea of canceling school for this year and using in-person learning to make up the missed days once the pandemic is over. 

"I feel like they would fall behind less if we did that," Diana Lucio, mother of six school-aged children in southwest Houston, told the Houston Chronicle. "If we keep doing this, it'll be like we're starting all over again."

Not all families in Houston have broadband internet access or enough laptops or other devices for all of their children to do schoolwork either, according to the Houston Chronicle. It has many parents worried their children will fall behind in school. 

Clay Robison, spokesman for the Texas State Teachers Association, told the Houston Chronicle the idea would be worth considering, but only if the pandemic could be given an end-date. The biggest problem with the idea would be money. 

The Texas Education Agency said it would not fund districts if there is no form of education, according to the Houston Chronicle. Klein Independent School Board President Doug James said this would be a problem because most of its money is used to pay employees, many of which are already financially suffering during the pandemic. 

But districts are looking into other options, such as summer school or extending schools days in the 2020-21 school year, according to the Houston Chronicle. 

"We're kind of researching all of those opportunities right now and developing plans around 'what if we do this,' 'what is we do that,'" Houston Independent School District Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan told the Houston Chronicle. "But everything is going to be contingent upon when we can get back with our students and staff face-to-face."