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

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Minnesota District Completes $49.7M Addition, Renovation Project

    St. Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $49.7-million addition and remodeling project at two district schools, according to a news release.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.