Parents face decisions as school year looms

Local parents will likely have decisions about how and where their children attend school in 2020-21, according to officials.

Texarkana’s four school districts are conferring with parents and officials in the health and education communities to determine what the 2020-21 school years will be like.

Last week, the Gazette queried the four districts’ respective communications managers about how the districts are assessing and making decisions about the upcoming school year.

Matt Fry of Liberty-Eylau Independent School District, Shelby Akin of Pleasant Grove ISD, Genia Bullock of Texarkana Arkansas School District and Tina Veal-Gooch of Texarkana ISD provided the following answers.

The situations are likely to change for each of the districts as the days and weeks progress. Another factor is TASD’s location in Arkansas, which is governed by another set of state laws than the other three districts, all located in Texas.

Apart from minor editing, the answers are running in their entiriety.

1. How is your district assessing how courses will be delivered and how the school year will proceed?

L-E ISD — The state requires districts to provide instruction both on-campus and virtually. We have sent a survey to all parents to gauge their preference. This will be used for us to broadly plan for the fall. A couple of weeks before school starts, parents will be required to make a firm commitment to one plan or the other so we can assign students to classes.

PGISD — Pleasant Grove ISD continues to receive updates and guidance from Governor Gregg Abbott, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, and local health authorities. On Tuesday we received general guidelines for reopening schools from the Commissioner. From these guidelines, we are developing our plans.

TASD —The Texarkana Arkansas School District (TASD) created the Ready to Learn Committee of administrators and support staff from across the district to provide input and support during the planning process for reopening. The TASD Ready to Learn Committee is using the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Ready for Learning Playbook as guidance in planning the re-entry and re-engagement for the 20202021 school year. Classes will look different when school resumes in the fall as we work diligently to create the safest instructional environment possible for our staff and students.

TISD — TISD continues to receive regular updates and guidance from local, state and federal agencies and our first priority is the safety of our students and our employees. At present, we are following the direction of Texas Education Agency and planning accordingly. A Smart ReStart Task Force has been developed to ensure we meet the needs of all learners. We have been discussing plans throughout the summer months and will continue to gather information from various stakeholders.

2. Are surveys being conducted? What sort of questions are on the survey? How is it being administered (phone, online survey etc)?

L-E ISD — We sent a survey to all parents via email, social media and text message. It is also available from a link on the home page. It asks basic demographic information as well as asks parents to choose which school method they will most likely choose. We also left space for parents to leave their own comments.

PGISD — Pleasant Grove sent a preliminary survey to parents through School Messenger, our mass notification system, on Tuesday, July 7, to gather information regarding parents’ potential preference between On-Campus and Remote Learning for the upcoming school year. The answers to this survey are being used for planning purposes. Parents will have another opportunity later this summer to commit to On-Campus or Remote Learning for their Pleasant Grove ISD student.

TASD — Understanding the needs of our staff and students is important in the successful implementation of reopening our schools. Texarkana Arkansas School District conducted a digital parent survey to gather information regarding their concerns about returning to on-site learning. Other survey questions included technology needs, internet access and learning preferences if various instructional pathways are available.

Parent survey responses indicated that some families are comfortable returning to a traditional five — day learning environment, while other families are not as comfortable and would prefer a hybrid/blended (some days on campus and some days virtual) or all virtual (online only) learning environment. As a result of the feedback from our parents, the Texarkana Arkansas School District will offer three pathways of learning: 1) Traditional, 2) Hybrid/ Blended, and 3) Virtual. In the coming days, Texarkana Arkansas School District parents will have an opportunity to select a learning pathway that meets the needs of their child(ren).

Teachers completed surveys indicating their access to technology and the internet as well as their professional learning needs as we look at offering various pathways of learning for students. Additionally, a teacher group met with the Ready to Learn Committee to provide feedback during the planning process.

TISD — We began conducting a parent/guardian phone survey via TISD staff on July 6 and should have it completed by July 18. The purpose of the survey was to identify technology needs of our students — what electronic devices they were using and if they did or did not have internet access at home. From there, the survey went on to ask parents/ guardians about their preference of a learning environment for the 2020-21 school year, what safety measures were important to them and if their student will need bus transportation for the school year. Through this survey, it gives us insight into what the school year needs will be and how we will need to address those.

3. What kind of information are you gleaning/ receiving from the state (an any county or local leaders) about how the educational landscape will look at the school year’s beginning? How are the districts and these officials working together to make these decisions? What factors/considerations go into making these decisions?

L — E ISD — Information from the state changes daily. In order to receive funding schools will be required to have on campus learning. At home learning will also have attendance requirements so that traditional average daily attendance can be calculated for funding purposes. They have released general information regarding suggested safety protocols, but are leaving details up to the schools. Districts are set to receive PPE from the state depending on student population. Even before safety or learning protocols were shared by TEA, the Governor said that standardized testing would happen regardless of the pandemic.

PGISD — The Texas Education Agency released Public Health Planning Guidance for the 2020-2021 School Year on July 7. This document contains guidelines to support school systems in planning for the 2020-2021 school year. We are currently working on our plan.

TASD — There are a multitude of factors to consider during the school reopening decision-making process — the safety of our staff and students, as well as robust delivery of instruction are of the highest priority. At this time, uncertainty, uncharted, and unprecedented are common words we find ourselves hearing and saying as we plan the reopening of schools this fall. The Texarkana Arkansas School District Ready to Learn Committee continues to meet with DESE and colleagues across the state in an effort to have the most up-to-date information and guidance. Continuously accessing information regarding the impact of COVID-19 from our national, state, and local government is important as we continue in our planning process. As recent as Thursday, July 9, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced that the start date for school districts across the state of Arkansas will be pushed out to the week of August 24; TASD had an original start date of August 13. The later start date will allow time for Arkansas school districts to order additional digital learning devices and plan for staff professional development needed to address

some of the changes in the instructional delivery that will take place this coming school year.

TISD—Through recent TEA guidance, we know that there will be two learning options available – on-site learning and remote virtual instruction. A commitment form will be sent to parents/ guardians in the coming weeks as to what learning options they want for their child beginning August 2020. The parent will have the ability, if needed, to change their student’s learning option at the end of the grading period.

Our goal within the review of guidance from TEA is to work with our Smart ReStart Task Force and get input from our stakeholders in order for TISD to make the best decisions for our students and their families.

4. What other methods or means are you using to stay in contact with faculty, students and parents about how the school year will proceed? What is the feedback you are getting from them about how they want to proceed?

L-E ISD — We have had good response to our survey so far. We will continue to seek input as we move forward. So far around 70% of responses indicate that parents prefer returning to campus in the fall. Regardless of what method parents prefer, we will have plans in place to provide robust instruction to meet students where they are.

PGISD — The District receives updates from state and local authorities on a regular basis. Pleasant Grove ISD is committed to ensuring high levels of learning for all students. We will be finalizing and communicating plans for the upcoming school year in the coming weeks.

TASD — Zoom meetings, surveys, teleconferences, along with the district website and social media, have become major avenues used to stay in contact with our TASD students/families and staff. Our staff members, parents, and students are phenomenal. Everyone is working together whether it is by providing feedback to aid in the decision-making process or implementation of the plan; everyone is doing his or her part.

TISD — Our communication with parents/guardians and staff is through direct email as well as social media messaging. The parent/ guardian survey will give us details as to what parents/ guardians would like to see and what they have available at home in terms of electronic devices/connection for student learning. We are always appreciative of the feedback we receive for parents and do our best to take as much as possible into consideration. We plan in the very near future to have information on our district website in a designated area in order for parents/guardians to reference as needed and stay informed.

5. How will things look for extracurricular activities going forward?

L-E ISD — The University Interscholastic League governs most extracurricular activities. So far they have released guidelines to ensure proper distancing during summer workouts for both athletics and band. There have not been any firm plans shared for if/when actual competitions will resume. State guidelines do stipulate that those choosing at home learning will not be eligible to compete in UIL activities (as of information on Thursday, July 9). Some of the respondents to our survey indicated that that weighed on their decision to return to school.

PGISD — The Texas Education Agency outlined specific guidelines for nonUIL extracurricular activities in their Public Health Planning Guidance on July 7, 2020. We want to move forward with our extracurricular activities in a safe manner.

TASD — The Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) is preparing to resume activities and athletics this fall in accordance with the regular AAA calendar. These preparations are contingent upon compliance with all directives as issued by the Governor’s office and the Department of Health.

In collaboration with the National Federation of State High School Associations, AAA, Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, Coaches and Officials Advisory Committees and other affiliated activity committees, plans are being formulated to comply with all directives and safely return to participation.

TISD — Direction for extracurricular activities is coming from the University Interscholastic League and will be considered by our Smart ReStart Task Force. Just today (Friday, July 10) the UIL has announced that students who participate in remote learning through their local school districts can participate in sports and extracurricular activities if all UIL eligibility requirements are met. TISD will communicate details on extracurricular activities to our parents/guardians in the coming weeks.

6. How will state funding be affected based on the opening or continual closure of campuses?

L — E ISD — In the spring when schools closed, we received funding just as if we were at school. Texas used Federal dollars to pay for those obligations. Current guidance from TEA indicates that 20 — 21 funding will be based on both on campus and at home learning attendance. That means that students will be required to actively participate in online learning daily to receive grades and to count for attendance. PGISD — No response. TASD — State funding has not changed. In addition to state funding, the Texarkana Arkansas School District will receive CARES Act funding for COVID — 19 related expenses such as PPE and technology purchases to support reopening schools.

TISD — State funding is a complicated question and there are different rules for different types of learners. The TEA has issued guidance as they are outlining the procedures for taking attendance for virtual instruction, both asynchronous and synchronous. Here is a link from TEA on funding …. https://tea.texas.gov/sites/ default/files/covid/sy_202021_attendance_and_enrollment_faq_remote_only.pdf

7. Ultimately, who decides how things will proceed for the school year?

L-E ISD — There is no ultimate decision by one person or organization. Decisions are made in collaboration with input gathered from various stakeholders and guidance from state and local governing bodies and officials. While the superintendent is the ultimate local authority, much of the decisions will be made at the state level.

PGISD — Ultimately, the federal and state government have the ability to move forward. Locally, district leadership and the board of education will decide, however, our parents will have the decision on how their children are educated (traditional with safety measures or remote learning).

TASD — The Texarkana Arkansas School District Ready to Learn Committee continues to make decisions based on guidance from the state of Arkansas and feedback from our staff and TASD families. The target continues to move and it is important to stay informed in an effort to make the best decisions possible to reopen our schools safely for our staff and students.

TISD—The key guidance will come from TEA. However, the overall procedures for TISD will be determined through our Smart ReStart Task Force along with input from our stakeholders.

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

L- E ISD — N0 response. PGISD —No response. TASD — TASD encourages families to stay connected via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or the district website (www.tasd7.net). Additionally, families can call and leave a message at 870-772-3371, and a support person will return their calls.

TISD—TISD has been working throughout the summer months to ready our campuses and do extra safety precautions so that we are prepared for the start of school in August 2020. This topic is really a moving target at present and one that we can’t say has a truly defined answer for. The TEA guidelines are good in the sense that they give parents a choice based upon what is best for their family and student(s). Our job has become to interpret the recommendations from state and national officials and then put in to action what is best for ALL of our students and employees. We have made it our goal to maintain the strong instructional model that we have for on-site learners and have a much improved and better instructional model for our virtual learners.