DISD Superintendent: “Highly doubtful” of return to regular school days in August

Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa talked about the district’s preliminary plans for classes in the fall, reports a local TV station.

Hinojosa stated he’s “highly doubtful” of a return to “business as usual” when it comes to reopening schools in August, especially since coronavirus cases continue to increase and Texas has not fully reopened.

Hinojosa laid out several possibilities for the future. One plan would involve what DISD is currently doing, which is to hold all classes online. Another possibility would involve a “blended learning opportunity,” which depends on recommendations and guidelines from state and health officials.  

“A lot of it depends on exactly where the state has us, where the health officials have us, where the governor has us. That will be determined as which version of C we have to actually execute,” Hinojosa said in a conference.

Some of the factors the district might have to prepare for are having screening and personal protection equipment available to students.

“If the PPE is in place and you have 150,000 students then how in the world are you going to execute that? How are you going to have the supplies available? And when are they going to be delivered? So there a lot of things we have to worry about,” Hinojosa said.

Other factors the district must address are transportation and the possibility for periodic closures.

The superintendent said he and other district officials may have a better idea of what plans will look like within the next couple of weeks.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.