TEA issued guidelines for the upcoming school year to keep students and staff safe. | Pixabay
Texas Education Agency (TEA) issued comprehensive guidelines for how to safely return ton on-campus instruction for students this school year, according to a TEA-issued release.
The guidelines focus on keeping students and teachers healthy and safe so that students can receive a quality education in an on-campus environment.
“Both as Commissioner and as a public school parent, my number one priority is the health and safety of our students, teachers and staff,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in the release. “That is why the guidance laid out today will provide flexibility to both parents and districts to make decisions based on the ever-changing conditions of this public health crisis. The state is and remains committed to providing a high-quality education to all Texas students while ensuring the health and safety of students, teachers, staff, and families."
The state is allowing both on-campus and virtual instruction for all students so that parents can choose which option would be best for their child. Parents can switch from virtual to on-campus and back at each grading period.
Schools are also providing additional health procedures, with teachers, staff, students and visitors all being screened before entering the school and the state is allowing districts to provide a phased-in approach to returning to on-campus learning during the first three weeks, according to the press release.
TEA is also providing school systems with extra resources, including reimbursement for COVID-19-related expenses, personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies, free online TEKS-aligned learning tools for remote instruction and teacher training that will not cost anything to the school systems.
Morath said in the release that Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, as well as legislative leaders, all were committed to making sure in-class and remote instruction for all students was fully funded for the upcoming school year, according to the release.
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