Dallas ISD Considering In-Person, Virtual, Hybrid Instruction Options

School districts across Texas are waiting on key decisions on school funding and COVID-19 guidelines from the Texas Education Agency before making final decisions on reopening schools, reports The Dallas Morning News.

Dallas ISD is waiting on direction from the state and haven’t solidified plans, yet. In the meantime, the district has created a first draft of safety and security guidelines for campus reentry, along with three different potential instructional models.

Some of the safety and security guidelines Dallas ISD will implement when in-person classes resume:

  • The district will provide each student with three reusable masks and will require students to wear them on the bus or building. Students will wear face shields in classrooms.
  • Plexiglass will be used to create dividers for cafeteria tables, as well as desks. This allows them to be placed closer than six feet while still providing barriers of protection.
  • Temperature checks will be required when boarding the bus or arriving to campus.
  • Portable hand sanitizer stations will be placed outside each classroom.
  • The district will also be changing dismissal patterns and creating one-way paths in hallways.

The district is considering three different instruction models that include: in-person instruction in schools starting on Aug. 17; remote learning; or a hybrid model between the two.

There are three hybrid model options to choose from, which include:

  • Half of students, probably divided by grade level, would attend in-person classes on Monday and Tuesdays, while the other half goes on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Students would work remotely when not on campus.
  • Elementary students would use secondary campuses to spread out and utilize more space while secondary students work 100% remotely.   
  • Parents would decide whether they want students to work at home or remotely.

Students working remotely would have access to one-to-one devices and internet hotspots if they needed them. Online instruction would be regularly scheduled periods with teachers.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Starts Construction on Healthcare Education Hub

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, Calif., recently announced that work has begun on a renovation project that will turn the Stewart Building into a new Healthcare Education Hub, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction Inc. for construction services.

  • Chartwells Launches Campus Dining Evaluation Framework

    Contract food-service management provider Chartwells Higher Education recently announced the launch of BLUEPRINT, according to a news release. The evaluation framework was designed to provide a data-driven and customizable roadmap towards optimizing campus dining services and, by extension, the student experience.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.