TEA Releases Guidelines For Keeping Students, Teachers Safe From COVID-19
ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - The first day of school is quickly approaching for Texas school districts, and at the Arlington ISD school board meeting, the district presented its COVID-19 school operations plan.
This comes as the Texas Education Agency has released its new guidelines for the upcoming school year.
On Thursday night, August 5, the school board voted unanimously to no long require:
*Contact tracing
*Health screenings
*Mask wearing
*Physical barriers
If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they will need to quarantine for 10 days.
Then can return if symptom free. Makeup work will be allowed for students. Staff member will receive immediate paid leave for ten calendar days.
"The intentions behind what we're doing is first of all to make sure that our students can continue to remain successful," President Kecia Mays said. "Education must continue in whatever format we're delivering it in. The intent behind us is to make sure that we keep safe not only our students but our teachers."
The meeting comes as the TEA is releasing its new guidance regarding schools being able to offer virtual learning in the case of a COVID-19 outbreak.
Virtual learning will be allowed on a limited basis.
*Districts still have to report positive cases to county and state health departments
*No contract tracing will be required
*Remote learning will be just for students who have to quarantine.
*It can only last for up to four weeks and it has to be in real time - a live, virtual interaction with someone other than the student's teacher. This can be a substitute or schools can hire more staff.