Reopening

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

• By Yvonne Marquez
• 06/15/20

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.