Reopening Schools

225,213 Views | 2236 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by AustinAg2K
Alta
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AG
We just received a terrific email on how our son's private school will be handling the upcoming school year. Basically in person with no online option unless required by law. If required by law to be online then tuition refund for the days missed because they do not feel it is effective (and is certainly not what we are paying for).

Below is an excerpt which I loved:

...I invite you to compare this to the very common phrase we hear these days from many school administrations, especially during these uncertain times, "our number one priority is the health and safety of our students, teachers, and staff."

Undoubtedly the "health and safety" of our students is a necessary and extremely important priority. However, placing it as the "number one" priority begs some questioning:

Is health and safety the highest priority of education?
If so, should we eliminate all activities that pose risks to our students' health and safety, even if these activities benefit the overall development of their person?

If not, how healthy and how safe should we ensure our students to be?

These are just a few of the really important questions to ask yourself and your child's school...
Jbob04
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AG
Alta said:

We just received a terrific email on how our son's private school will be handling the upcoming school year. Basically in person with no online option unless required by law.

Below is an excerpt which I loved:

...I invite you to compare this to the very common phrase we hear these days from many school administrations, especially during these uncertain times, "our number one priority is the health and safety of our students, teachers, and staff."

Undoubtedly the "health and safety" of our students is a necessary and extremely important priority. However, placing it as the "number one" priority begs some questioning:

Is health and safety the highest priority of education?
If so, should we eliminate all activities that pose risks to our students' health and safety, even if these activities benefit the overall development of their person?

If not, how healthy and how safe should we ensure our students to be?

These are just a few of the really important questions to ask yourself and your child's school...

Good stuff
ETFan
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Anecdotal, had a child just come through, tested positive. Tested because he was running a fever. We'll see in a few days if he passed it to his friend whose house he went and hung out at for a few hours yesterday, their parents, or his parents. Or, did it go the other direction? Hard to tell.


TXTransplant
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Alta said:

We just received a terrific email on how our son's private school will be handling the upcoming school year. Basically in person with no online option unless required by law. If required by law to be online then tuition refund for the days missed because they do not feel it is effective (and is certainly not what we are paying for).

Below is an excerpt which I loved:

...I invite you to compare this to the very common phrase we hear these days from many school administrations, especially during these uncertain times, "our number one priority is the health and safety of our students, teachers, and staff."

Undoubtedly the "health and safety" of our students is a necessary and extremely important priority. However, placing it as the "number one" priority begs some questioning:

Is health and safety the highest priority of education?
If so, should we eliminate all activities that pose risks to our students' health and safety, even if these activities benefit the overall development of their person?


If not, how healthy and how safe should we ensure our students to be?

These are just a few of the really important questions to ask yourself and your child's school...


This! If the absolute highest priority of education is the health and safety of every single kid, and we should have a zero tolerance policy for even one death, schools should have been closed after Columbine.

Because no school has shown they can protect kids from school shootings. There is always a risk.

As parents, we make the choice to send our kids to school despite that risk.

Given the fact that, since Feb 1, only 30 kids aged 14 or younger and only 149 people aged 15-24 have died of this virus, parents ought to be able to decide for themselves if sending their kids to school is a risk worth taking.

In comparison, the 2019-2020 flu season (Oct 1, 2019-April 4. 2020) was the worst in 10 years for kids, and there were 169 deaths.

Similarly, teachers ought to be allowed to evaluate the data and make a determination for themselves on whether or not they should return to the classroom.

No child or teacher should be forced to return to school any more than a child or teacher should be forced to stay home. Although, I will point out that the stakes are much higher - particularly for low-income/underprivileged families - if kids are forced to stay home.

A teacher who stays home and teaches online still has a job and gets paid. That's a fantastic privilege. Not all parents have that privilege. And not all kids have the privilege of living in a home that's safer than school.

After all the talk of the last two months, I cannot believe that the position people are taking on schools is one where low income and underprivileged families have to just "figure something out". This virus is a undoubtedly a huge burden - we can only get through it if everyone shares in the burden (mostly) equally. Closing schools puts a disproportionate amount of the responsibility for "keeping us all safe" onto those who can least afford it.
Beat40
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nai06 said:

Beat40 said:

Player To Be Named Later said:

planoaggie123 said:

Many people have continued working and adapted on the fly to COVID. I work for a large company and we have grown / adapted our responses as necessary. There is inherent risk every day I am in the office.

If you don't like the risk quit or find other ways to work that meet your risk tolerance. Millions of Americans have had to make that decision.


On top of just coming off as a complete *** you overlook the complete mess that is the teacher shortage in the State. People aren't just signing up in record numbers to put up with today's crops of children for the pay they receive.

So you draw some hard ass line in the sand, lots of the older, senior teachers take you up on that, now how are you going to have your schools open completely?
Like someone had the idea though, adapt to the situation. Maybe lax the rules for the year and hire some people, particularly younger, you would normally higher to get through this nightmare.

Yeah, I disagree with the bolded part the dude said.

Where is the flexibility, creativity, or adaptation from districts/TEA in their handling of this. They knew it was a possibility from the time school ended last year, as well as the warning of a second wave in the late fall and winter, and what they've put out so far is the best they can come up with?

I think this is where people's frustrations are at the moment. There are several places of businesses with similar risk factors as public schools and they've stayed open since the beginning of the pandemic. We can figure this out - there is a solution out there.
I can't imagine its the teacher cert and bachelor degree requirement that is keeping loads of people from teaching. Most people just don't want to do the job and certainly not for the current pay. Add to that all the blame that gets placed on teachers for a lot of things they have not control over.

We definitely have a teacher shortage in Texas. Ask around at district and you get similar answers, specifically math and science. The school I teach at was short 6 teachers at the start of this school year, We tried to use long term subs but they really weren't able to teach the material effectively. We ended up dissolving some of the teaching positions because we couldn't fill them and spread the remaining kids into other sections. That bumped some class as high as 36 students. I know of another school in the DFW area that had an algebra II class of over 50 students because they couldn't hire any teachers. The TEA officially recognized shortages in the following areas for the upcoming school year

  • Bilingual/English as a Second Language Elementary and Secondary Levels
  • Special Education Elementary and Secondary Levels
  • Career and Technical Education Secondary Levels
  • Technology Applications and Computer Science Elementary and Secondary Levels
  • Mathematics Secondary Levels (link to TEA)

Then there is the problem of retention. Over 30% of new teachers in Texas quit after 5 years. So in addition to the shortage, we aren't retaining as many experienced teachers. Prior to Covid-19, 2019 we hit a 5 year high for teachers abandoning their contracts mid year. (Link)

So even if you relax the teaching cert and bachelor degree requirements, I don't know if its going to really help all that much. A lot of people just don't want to do this job.

If you want to pay teachers more money, then yeah that might improve the situation. But there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of support for that in recent years.

A lot of people have dropped the ball on this situation. I think had we come out stronger in the beginning with more people taking this seriously, wearing mask, etc. we would be having the debate about IF schools will open. I think some districts have put out some interesting plans (like Desoto ISD). One of the trickier things to do is with funding for these new programs or plans. The state of Texas decided to effectively keep the funding allotted to districts under the CARES Act. While the ISDs will technically get the 1.6 billion from the program, the state reduced the overall funding they provide to districts by 1.6 billion dollars (Link)


I want to be in class teaching. I hated the online version of the spring semester. I basically spent all my time doing all of the things i hate about my job, attending faculty meetings, grading papers, and online training. I want to be able to teach in person again but I also want to be safe. I get that the danger to kids is much less than older adults. I don't want to get sick and I don't want my friends and family to get sick either.


Thank you for your response! And off the top, thanks for teaching youngsters. It's a worthy profession.

I'd like to say I'm not in education, but what I threw out there was just an example of how a district could think outside the box. Saw some other poster at it and another teacher on this thread who said it could make work for this year alone. I appreciate your thoughts!

As to your last paragraph, I want y'all to be safe too. I'm also just saying are the districts considering some of the evidence for the fact that children might not be in-fact big spreaders is this? There are articles for and against this scenario, but if it's true child transmission is more rare, then that means most risk to the teacher might becoming from other teachers and outside of the school. Just don't see this part of the conversation happening much, and honestly, I doubt the districts/TEA are really considering it.

Either way, it's going to be a mess of a year, and I feel terrible for the teachers that will have to deal with it because the onus will fall mainly on them.
amercer
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AG
I was very hopeful that school was going to happen, because kids are at low risk, other countries are making it work, and it's so important for kids and parents. I'm becoming convinced however that it's not happening until we have a vaccine. Our national culture is just too toxic. No one on either side is willing to trust the science, the government, or pull together to get it done.

I want to be mad at teachers for not putting the kids first, but it's hard when half the people in the grocery store won't do something as simple as put a mask on. In a state where the republican governor has mandated it, there are 50 signs all over the store, and the employees are wearing them. I can just imagine a teacher walking into that store and thinking "these people want me in a room with 30 of their kids all day???"
Beat40
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amercer said:

I was very hopeful that school was going to happen, because kids are at low risk, other countries are making it work, and it's so important for kids and parents. I'm becoming convinced however that it's not happening until we have a vaccine. Our national culture is just too toxic. No one on either side is willing to trust the science, the government, or pull together to get it done.

I want to be mad at teachers for not putting the kids first, but it's hard when half the people in the grocery store won't do something as simple as put a mask on. In a state where the republican governor has mandated it, there are 50 signs all over the store, and the employees are wearing them. I can just imagine a teacher walking into that store and thinking "these people want me in a room with 30 of their kids all day???"
It's not the teachers. Reading this thread, most want to be back in school with the kids. It's administrations.

And the mask thing - such a frustrating topic. Where are you located? I'm in Houston and the difference between mask wearing in March/April and now is night and day!

I do not believe the reason for the recent surge is because of people refusing to wear masks. There are people who refuse to wear them, but I believe, at least in the major cities, it's much less of an issue than you believe it is.

Additionally, small kids were never going to effectively wear masks 8 hours a day no matter if 100% of people were wearing masks in public.
Complete Idiot
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amercer said:

I was very hopeful that school was going to happen, because kids are at low risk, other countries are making it work, and it's so important for kids and parents. I'm becoming convinced however that it's not happening until we have a vaccine. Our national culture is just too toxic. No one on either side is willing to trust the science, the government, or pull together to get it done.


It's very depressing, to be honest. Protecting the elderly and at risk as well as protecting our children and their development should have been two top priorities from the beginning. We aren't organized and cohesive enough in our education system and guidance so we end up with no one knowing who to turn to, islands of thought, confusion, and now basically fear is driving decisions. I'd be fearful too if I had not planned and don't have a good message, or it's a different answer than the school across town. I hate that other countries seem to be handling it better, and hope that's just because I see a glossed over picture from afar.
amercer
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AG
I'm on vacation on a river in North Carolina. It's beautiful.

I don't know if the mask order is new here, or if people just don't give a ****, but it's disconcerting. I live in Maryland and I seriously doubt the people there are morally superior, but mask compliance has been 100% for months. And the state is doing pretty well. It's just one thing, but it's an obvious, visual thing, that's says "hey this may not make a huge difference but we're all in this together"
culdeus
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amercer said:

I'm on vacation on a river in North Carolina. It's beautiful.

I don't know if the mask order is new here, or if people just don't give a ****, but it's disconcerting. I live in Maryland and I seriously doubt the people there are morally superior, but mask compliance has been 100% for months. And the state is doing pretty well. It's just one thing, but it's an obvious, visual thing, that's says "hey this may not make a huge difference but we're all in this together"


Where people are on vacation the people on vacation take a vacation from masks.
amercer
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There may be a little of that, but we purposely picked a place far from tourists for this trip.
Big Al 1992
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tysker
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AG
Virtual online learning is going to give a lot of parents an insight and exposure to the education their kids are (not) receiving. Much of which we parents are gleefully and willfully ignorant of. I'm curious to find out what parents, especially those with means and options, wind up doing long-term with this information. That is not the fault of the teachers and I'm sure many will place blame on the teachers. Instead blame should be of the system itself and on us as parents for allowing the system to operate in such a manner.

I'm hearing more admission's that families are awaiting blueprints, not as much to learn about safety measures, but more to gauge what their kids school day will look like and then to determine which other kids will be attending class and which wont. Because, let's be serious, parents and kids (and teachers) know which students make classrooms worse. If all of my kid's friends are staying home, does it make sense to send mine?
Fenrir
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We are waiting to see if private school seems like the better option.

My ISD is pretty well regarded but I do not believe for one second that distance learning will be of any benefit to us.
planoaggie123
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AG
Do we need a thread to discuss the process of pulling our kids out of public and then how to re-enroll at a later date? Is it hard to do? I am 90% sure we will not do online learning through PISD if it comes to that...first 6 weeks...what does that accomplish? they will push out for the entire first semester...
Senator Blutarski
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AG
Push your representatives for school choice.
jopatura
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AG
planoaggie123 said:

Do we need a thread to discuss the process of pulling our kids out of public and then how to re-enroll at a later date? Is it hard to do? I am 90% sure we will not do online learning through PISD if it comes to that...first 6 weeks...what does that accomplish? they will push out for the entire first semester...


I don't know but I'd be interested to know what the process is. My only concern would be that they don't let the kids come back this year if it does go back in-person. I don't know what their latitude is to deny enrollment mid-year.
AggieFrog
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AG
Fenrir said:

We are waiting to see if private school seems like the better option.

My ISD is pretty well regarded but I do not believe for one second that distance learning will be of any benefit to us.

Have all three kids in private school. Looks like we'll have an option of in person or online. One of my sons definitely needs to be in class. The other two did really well remote - we'll let them decide if they want to continue online or go in person.
planoaggie123
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AG
Right. That is my main "concern". Don't mind paperwork and don't mind if they have set times you can return but would definitely make for a longer discussion with the wife if they said once you un-enroll then you are done for the year. I cannot imagine that as it would cost them money but its the government so who knows...
jenn96
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AG
Carrying that theme, I've had to work hard to get IEP accommodations for my son (Autism Spectrum and speech) plus he's in GT classes. I assume if we pull out of public school for the year we start at ground zero next year? He's also in 5th grade so he'll miss all the prep for junior high, which for him will be like going to the moon. There aren't enough words for how much I hate this. I work full time so virtual schooling is not a realistic option for us, even if it were a good choice for my son, which it isn't at all.
88planoAg
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AG
jenn96 said:

Carrying that theme, I've had to work hard to get IEP accommodations for my son (Autism Spectrum and speech) plus he's in GT classes. I assume if we pull out of public school for the year we start at ground zero next year? He's also in 5th grade so he'll miss all the prep for junior high, which for him will be like going to the moon. There aren't enough words for how much I hate this. I work full time so virtual schooling is not a realistic option for us, even if it were a good choice for my son, which it isn't at all.
I don't think re-entering the public school would put you back to re-qualifying for SpEd. You should be able to get back in the system, especially if you can show that your child needed the equivalent of IEP supports to succeed wherever your kid's interim education is received. So an ARD to leave (maybe? not sure) and an ARD to return.
jopatura
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AG
jenn96 said:

Carrying that theme, I've had to work hard to get IEP accommodations for my son (Autism Spectrum and speech) plus he's in GT classes. I assume if we pull out of public school for the year we start at ground zero next year? He's also in 5th grade so he'll miss all the prep for junior high, which for him will be like going to the moon. There aren't enough words for how much I hate this. I work full time so virtual schooling is not a realistic option for us, even if it were a good choice for my son, which it isn't at all.


Yes that I know for sure they will screw you on. I have a friend whose child qualified for pre-k through our district because of autism. His birthday was 8/31. She wanted to hold him back from Kindergarten for a year, the district held his services hostage to force him to start Kindergarten at 5.
jopatura
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jenn96 said:

Carrying that theme, I've had to work hard to get IEP accommodations for my son (Autism Spectrum and speech) plus he's in GT classes. I assume if we pull out of public school for the year we start at ground zero next year? He's also in 5th grade so he'll miss all the prep for junior high, which for him will be like going to the moon. There aren't enough words for how much I hate this. I work full time so virtual schooling is not a realistic option for us, even if it were a good choice for my son, which it isn't at all.


Honestly you're in a strong position too already having all his services set up. Legally they have to provide what's in his ARD/504/IEP. I have a feeling if anyone can put a stop to this nonsense, it'll be the needs of special education students. They just can't stop providing services. I will be very surprised if there isn't at least one district out there in front of a judge before September.
nai06
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AG
I have students that go in and out all year long. It doesn't seem terribly difficult. Your child has a right to attend the school they are zoned for. We can't deny them a free and public education.
HowdyTexasAggies
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jopatura said:

jenn96 said:

Carrying that theme, I've had to work hard to get IEP accommodations for my son (Autism Spectrum and speech) plus he's in GT classes. I assume if we pull out of public school for the year we start at ground zero next year? He's also in 5th grade so he'll miss all the prep for junior high, which for him will be like going to the moon. There aren't enough words for how much I hate this. I work full time so virtual schooling is not a realistic option for us, even if it were a good choice for my son, which it isn't at all.


Honestly you're in a strong position too already having all his services set up. Legally they have to provide what's in his ARD/504/IEP. I have a feeling if anyone can put a stop to this nonsense, it'll be the needs of special education students. They just can't stop providing services. I will be very surprised if there isn't at least one district out there in front of a judge before September.
Jen96 - to this point above, you may already know this, but if not, get an "advocate" to help you on this. An advocate will be able to help you with using the right terms with the district to get them to act appropriately. I have a friend that does this, and he helped my sister significantly. He also helped a co-worker.
amercer
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AG
Different situation, but we had a call with the middle school principal today to ask him if it would be harder for my 4th grade son to get into advanced 6th grade classes if we do private school for the next year. He said it's not a problem, but since it's based on county testing and teacher recommendations it hard for me to see how it would work.
L7 WEENIE
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AG
JB!98
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jopatura said:

The schools districts have an unequivocal influence on your child's education. If they don't like what you're doing as a parent, they can haul you in front of a judge. If your child needs services, you are at their mercy for diagnosing & structuring the proper education for your child. As a parent, you have very little voice unless you have the privilege of getting a lawyer involved. Which many parents have to do. For the district to now turn around and say "Woah woah wait a minute, you need to parent your kid better" is a slap in the face. They have absolutely pushed the burden of education back on the parents in the name of the almighty dollar.

Furthermore, and I'm talking about the Central Texas school districts since I have the most experience with them, the decision to delay the first three weeks of school was made by the superintendent of Round Rock ISD. When he presented this to the Board of Trustees, who parents physically vote for to be their voice, they all said "Wait, let's discuss this. We haven't prepared for this." THE PEOPLE WHO I VOTE TO BE MY KIDS REPRESENTATIVE IN THEIR EDUCATION WASN'T PREPARED. Then the media grossly ran to Twitter and the rest of the dominoes fell the next day when the Travis County health guy pulled 1,400 child deaths out of his butt and forced all districts in Travis County to go virtual for three weeks, whether they were prepared for it or not.

COVID-19 has been stateside in some form since January. The decisions (and seemingly preparation) for the 2020/2021 school year started on July 14th.

How is this fair to anyone other then the administrations who are laughing all the way to the bank with our property tax dollars and not having to handle education anymore?

I don't know what to do. My voice doesn't matter. My daughter's education doesn't matter. My vote doesn't matter. What can I do next?
This is my wife's frustration. Just lay out a plan and have them adjust to it and plan. The problem here is uncertainty and all of the stuff that goes along with it. She was in the medical field for 23 years before she "retired" to become a teacher.

We are buying our own PPE for her to be comfortable.
JB!98
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AG
jopatura said:

The schools districts have an unequivocal influence on your child's education. If they don't like what you're doing as a parent, they can haul you in front of a judge. If your child needs services, you are at their mercy for diagnosing & structuring the proper education for your child. As a parent, you have very little voice unless you have the privilege of getting a lawyer involved. Which many parents have to do. For the district to now turn around and say "Woah woah wait a minute, you need to parent your kid better" is a slap in the face. They have absolutely pushed the burden of education back on the parents in the name of the almighty dollar.

Furthermore, and I'm talking about the Central Texas school districts since I have the most experience with them, the decision to delay the first three weeks of school was made by the superintendent of Round Rock ISD. When he presented this to the Board of Trustees, who parents physically vote for to be their voice, they all said "Wait, let's discuss this. We haven't prepared for this." THE PEOPLE WHO I VOTE TO BE MY KIDS REPRESENTATIVE IN THEIR EDUCATION WASN'T PREPARED. Then the media grossly ran to Twitter and the rest of the dominoes fell the next day when the Travis County health guy pulled 1,400 child deaths out of his butt and forced all districts in Travis County to go virtual for three weeks, whether they were prepared for it or not.

COVID-19 has been stateside in some form since January. The decisions (and seemingly preparation) for the 2020/2021 school year started on July 14th.

How is this fair to anyone other then the administrations who are laughing all the way to the bank with our property tax dollars and not having to handle education anymore?

I don't know what to do. My voice doesn't matter. My daughter's education doesn't matter. My vote doesn't matter. What can I do next?
This is my wife's frustration. Just lay out a plan and have them adjust to it and plan. The problem here is uncertainty and all of the stuff that goes along with it. She was in the medical field for 23 years before she "retired" to become a teacher.

We are buying our own PPE for her to be comfortable.
tylercsbn9
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AG
cityagboy said:




**** Abbott

Hopefully either Katy or CyFair have enough balls to put their neck out there and allow in person or online. If one does I could see the other following
tjack16
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AG
I'm a high school teacher in the North Houston area.... I'd like to go back in person. I'm hoping that's sooner rather than later
GinaLinetti
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AG
jenn96 said:

Carrying that theme, I've had to work hard to get IEP accommodations for my son (Autism Spectrum and speech) plus he's in GT classes. I assume if we pull out of public school for the year we start at ground zero next year? He's also in 5th grade so he'll miss all the prep for junior high, which for him will be like going to the moon. There aren't enough words for how much I hate this. I work full time so virtual schooling is not a realistic option for us, even if it were a good choice for my son, which it isn't at all.


As long as you stay in Texas, his IEP and services will follow him. You can unenroll him from public Ed, and when you re-enroll him you let them know he was receiving services when previously enrolled. His plan is current for 1 full year so you may need to hold an annual ard soon after you return. His FIE is good for 3 years from the date listed. If that date has passed, he will need to be reevaluated but will continue receiving the services already listed until that eval is completed

Edit to add that private schools do not have to follow IEPs. Some can and do but others don't have the staff. Charters are iffy. Some offer some services, some offer none and some all. Do some research if you go that route. If he has speech therapy services, he should be able to continue even if he isn't going to brick and mortar public school. As long as he's in the area, districts can provide drop in services.
TXTransplant
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tylercsbn9 said:

cityagboy said:




**** Abbott

Hopefully either Katy or CyFair have enough balls to put their neck out there and allow in person or online. If one does I could see the other following


Tomball and Klein ISD have already said online or in person starting the first day in August. AFAIK, that has not changed.

I think CyFair and Katy said the same.

So far, Houston, Fort Bend, and Goose Creek are the Houston area schools that are delaying opening and/or doing online only.
smc05
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Grapevine-Colleyville said today in person or online from day one.
ag009
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AG
Something I haven't heard to much discussion about is the reality that kids (especially the younger ones) get sick ALL the time. Every time they start coughing or run a fever (per TEA) the choices are either:

Edit to add actual guidelines on page 4: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/covid/covid19-SY-20-21-Public-Health-Guidance.pdf

1) Get a COVID-19 test (which can get expensive, especially without decent insurance)
2) Sit out for the 14 days

I taught little ones for several years and pretty much November-March someone is always coughing or snotty or what not. Going to be a nightmare.
 
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