DFW School District Will Not Offer Remote Learning in 2021-22

The Allen Independent School District in Dallas,Texas, has announced that it will not offer virtual learning opportunities for the 2021-22 academic year. Superintendent Robin Bullock sent a district-wide email on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 4, announcing the district’s plans for the upcoming academic year.

“As we plan for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year, we are encouraged by the improved conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the relatively low transmission rate within our community. I want to thank the Allen Fire Department for their partnership in administering vaccinations throughout the community while prioritizing its availability to our educators,” the email said.

“With these factors in mind, we are excited for all students to attend classes on our campuses for the upcoming school year. We look forward to refocusing our efforts to provide an excellent educational experience for students that support their social, emotional, and academic growth. For the 2021-2022 school year, we will not offer at-home, virtual learning.”

The district is also revoking its mask mandate as of July 1. Masks will be optional for students, faculty and staff. Bullock added that the district “will continue to monitor trends and will adjust accordingly should the need arise,” leaving the option open to reinstate the mandatory mask policy.

David Hicks, Allen ISD's chief information officer, said that pending any new guidance from the Texas Education Agency, “It’s going to be like a traditional school year.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • FGCU Breaks Ground on New Health Sciences Building

    Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has launched construction on a major new academic facility that leaders say will reshape healthcare education in Southwest Florida for decades to come, according to university news.

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.