By Chase Rogers
The Dripping Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees held a special meeting Wednesday, July 15, to discuss back-to-school plans for the 2020-21 school year and review results from the previous parent-teacher survey regarding reopening concerns.
With all members of the board in attendance, Board President Carrie Kroll read over 50 public comments from teachers, parents, students and community members, lasting nearly an hour. A majority of submissions varied between suggesting options to reopen DISD schools safely, inquiring about extracurriculars and acknowledging the difficultly of the situation in front of the board.
Superintendent of Schools Todd Washburn then began presenting a Fall Planning Update that included possible practices and plans to utilize starting Tuesday, Aug. 18, when school is scheduled to start. Washburn noted that some of the issue is that guidance from the Texas Education Agency was announced Friday, July 7, not allowing ample time to plan.
“We know that this is a very dynamic challenge,” Washburn said. “A lot of challenge is from us not having the parameters to set up a plan until just recently.”
Washburn noted their plans are subject to change given any additional public health orders by the Hays County Local Health Department, citing a recent Austin-Travis county order that delayed in-person classes until after Sept. 7.
Among the models, two forms of remote instruction were showcased: synchronous instruction and remote asynchronous instruction. Defined by the TEA, synchronous instruction is remote instruction that is given in real-time, via Zoom or other services, and it two-way, allowing teachers and students to communicate as they would in a classroom setting. Distantly, remote asynchronous instruction utilizes “prerecorded video lessons or game-based learning tasks that students complete on their own, and pre-assigned work and formative assessments made available to students on paper.”
In addition to these options and per TEA order, schools must provide 5-day, in-person classes to students whose parents wish for them to attend. Schools have the option to use a 3-week “start of school transition period” in which they could use online-only instruction, but afterward must resume in-person for all grade levels.
Gov. Abbott told KTRK Houston that TEA may extend the online-only start-of-school option for districts to opt into.
"I think (TEA Commissioner of Education) Mike Morath is expected to announce a longer period of time for online learning at the beginning of the school year, up to the flexibility at the local level," Abbott said to KTRK. "This is going to have to be a local-level decision, but there will be great latitude and flexibility provided at the local level."
Kroll acknowledged this statement from Gov. Abbott and asked for parents to be ready for further changes from TEA and potential delays for their reopening plans.
“There needs to be an appreciation for that fact we’re trying to make a plan as the foundation continues to move beneath out feet…those of us that are parents, as well as board members, know that we like to know what is going to happen and it is troubling that we are still getting guidance from (TEA),” Kroll said. “People need to be prepared that it is going to continually move for a period longer.”
Washburn also noted that any public health order from Hays County could override the current order from the TEA, again citing Travis-Austin’s order to further delay in-person classes.
Washburn then displayed previous survey results from late-May, early-June that showed 60% of parents indicating they wanted their children to return to in-person classes. However, as he also cites, the pandemic has worsened in recent months in Hays County, so Washburn stated an additional survey will be administered.
After coming out of executive session, the board did not vote on any resolutions and plans to reconvene on Monday, July 20 in normally scheduled session. The full video of the meeting is available for viewing here.
