AISD's (and other districts) Plans for Schools Starting August 18

[Texas Jeff 1999]

10 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

If you're talking about handling covid, I agree, it's being fucked up at a lot of levels.  

If you're talking about schools, plenty of them are doing overtime trying to get platforms, policies, and procedures  ready to go from day 1.  I know my wife and all of her friends have spent a lot of time doing online webinars and Zoom/MS Team/etc. meetings about the platforms they are going to be using, and getting content ready.  Her friends are wanting class lists and to start getting in touch with parents to get a feel for the parents as far as where they are at technically and if they can help with the kids, and also where the kids are at academically.   The uncertainty is bugging the shit out of them, but they are preparing for different scenarios.

I was thinking more about at the leadership level, admin, TEA, nationally.  The teachers are caught at the end of of a rope that is flailing about.  ISD leadership is sending one message and TEA is sending a different message that seems likely to lead to sick parents and teachers.  It looks uncoordinated and unplanned to me, at the leadership levels.  I am sure teachers are doing what they can to try to do the best for their students.

[Red Six 131]

11 hours ago, Texas Jeff said:

This idea of "hey let's get the kids back in the classroom" followed by six weeks later "oh crap the school is full of COVID shut it down" followed by six weeks later of "hey let's get the kids back in the classroom" followed by six weeks later of "we are out of teachers a lot of them are really sick, everyone go to the gym and work on busy work" followed by "thank god the holidays are here" is going to really really suck.

I was talking about this with my daughter who's about to go into 5th grade. She wants to go back to school. I asked her if she would still want to do so if every other week she was having to stop going to school and switching to online.

Her response was, "Why don't they just test everyone for coronavirus before school starts?"

[atomheartbevo 90673]

13 minutes ago, Texas Jeff said:

I was thinking more about at the leadership level, admin, TEA, nationally.  The teachers are caught at the end of of a rope that is flailing about.  ISD leadership is sending one message and TEA is sending a different message that seems likely to lead to sick parents and teachers.  It looks uncoordinated and unplanned to me, at the leadership levels.  I am sure teachers are doing what they can to try to do the best for their students.

TEA needs to force the various health agencies to become more involved, instead of being vague about a lot of things, and relying upon the people/districts to fill in the blanks.  

[Anastasis 23717]

20 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

TEA needs to force the various health agencies to become more involved, instead of being vague about a lot of things, and relying upon the people/districts to fill in the blanks.  

How many epidemiologists do you think TEA has on staff providing guidance on school planning?  How many are employed by local ISDs?  Seems like the larger school districts should have their decision making influenced more by science and epidemiology and not by money whipping from far off locales. 

[Gardner Barnes 1579]

I was talking about this with my daughter who's about to go into 5th grade. She wants to go back to school. I asked her if she would still want to do so if every other week she was having to stop going to school and switching to online.
Her response was, "Why don't they just test everyone for coronavirus before school starts?"

Too many false negatives make spread highly likely.

[CooterBrown 18289]

Asking TEA and ISDs to come up with a solution to an unsolvable problem is a bit unrealistic.  We'd be better off planning for how we catch up after the pandemic is over.

 

 

[drt 647]

Excellent point, but if you ask the TEA I'm sure the answer will involve more standardized testing.

[hayden_horn 11403]

12 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Asking TEA and ISDs to come up with a solution to an unsolvable problem is a bit unrealistic.  We'd be better off planning for how we catch up after the pandemic is over.

 

 

mitigation is a better approach. remote learning is not ideal, but it is something.

this idea of going back to the classroom given the current spike in the rona, it's beyond madness

[jimmyjazz 47310]

I can't keep track of multiple moving targets (UT, AISD, my wife's private preschool):  where are we with AISD?  Students select 100% online or 100% in class?

[Murfdogg21 4574]

Everyone could wear a bubble boy transparent plastic suit. Might also cut down on teen pregnancy 

[Red Six 131]

This was posted into an unofficial page for parents in my kids' district the other day. Basically listing safeguards and precautions that other countries have (or have not taken), and the correlated effects from Covid-19.

Based upon that chart, Texas is going to follow Vietnam's plan.

[Fuck Tim Beck 3905]

55 minutes ago, hayden_horn said:

mitigation is a better approach. remote learning is not ideal, but it is something.

this idea of going back to the classroom given the current spike in the rona, it's beyond madness

The only thing districts are worried about is losing funding. Its all about dollars. My district is the same way.  All principals and assistant principals have in person training all week next week and the district isn't even going to screen for temps 

[4th&Five 42026]

that's a broad brush your'e painting with based on your district.

[Red Six 131]

41 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

that's a broad brush your'e painting with based on your district.

He's not wrong. Districts are afraid that if they buck TEA's requirements, they are not going to get funded. TEA's mandates and funding conditions are a huge driver of everything they do.

[4th&Five 42026]

i get that.  i think they're also worried about dead kids and teachers.

[Red Six 131]

11 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

i get that.  i think they're also worried about dead kids and teachers.

Based on the public statements and actions since TEA's announcement, I think you're giving a lot of them a benefit of the doubt they don't deserve. The lack of administrative pushback (with a few notable exceptions) that we are seeing during a time of public health crisis is telling.

I said this earlier, but people in education just seem incapable of falling out of line, from the rank-and-file on up to the superintendents.

[CleverNickname 1346]

RRISD told teachers pick 1 of: (1) teach in-person; (2) show a valid medical excuse; or (3) resign. 

https://mobile.twitter.com/bstockus/status/1281365421292126208

Edited July 10, 2020 by CleverNickname

[jimmyjazz 47310]

4 minutes ago, CleverNickname said:

RRISD told teachers pick 1 of: (1) teach in-person; (2) show a valid medical excuse; or (3) resign. 

(2) I don't want to fucking die

[Wulaw Horn 19599]

On 7/9/2020 at 1:47 PM, Samson's Wig said:

They really need to do a new survey, as the last one went out when things were still looking fairly rosy.  Since that last survey, everything has gone to shit again.  There's no way they get the same response if they do it again now.  I believe in AISD it was roughly 50/50 on stay home and go to school (although their survey included "Go to school but with conditions" as a yes).  I'll bet the would only get around 25% responding that they want their kids in school if they polled again now.   And that would go a long way towards planning.  I believe they are planning to survey again a couple of weeks before school starts, which makes sense, but given how much has changed on the ground since the original survey it makes sense to retake the pulse of parents again now, in my opinion. 

The state, and those unnamed federal forces influencing their decision making, can eat a bag of dicks.  Morath, et al, have shown that money and politics are at the forefront of their decision making rather than what's best for the kids, teachers, and parents.  Holding districts to arbitrary online attendance standards by way of holding funding hostage should be criminal in a crisis like this.  And the STAAR test insistence is nothing more than ensuring the money keeps flowing to ETS so that bureaucrats and politicians get their cut.   The whole thing is disgusting, and if a sizable amount of teachers quit before school starts (or even at winter break), you could see Texas public education crumble from being one of the worst in the country to being the absolute worst really quickly and for a long time.  Inexperienced emergency certified teachers trying to make things work in this environment would be a disaster, especially if it's in large numbers.  If those in charge disagree with the pressure being put on them from above (I doubt this and think they're happily in lockstep), then then they need to stand up for what's right and publicly disagree.  The long term consequences of missteps here are huge.  

I agree with most of this and liked your post, but do have one bone to pick when you disparage Texas schools. 
when I taught school I started looking at the numbers. Here’s an example:

when comparing texas with Wisconsin our white kids did better than their white kids, our black kids did better than their black kids and our Hispanics did better than their Hispanics. But, we were ranked 40’s while they were ranked top 5 or 10. Why?  Because they have way more white kids who tend to perform better. Look at a list of schools and educational rankings. It’s really misleading and basically a way of answering the question- just how white is your state exactly. 
I reject the idea that there is anything wrong with the Texas educational environment (or California or Florida or some of the other diverse places that traditionally perform poorly in the rankings)  that is unique to Texas or doesn’t exist elsewhere. It’s bad data that’s not properly manipulated. 
You should be comparing outcomes amongst similarly situated racial and economic groups to each other- or else you aren’t bothering to compare similar samples of students. It’s a real bitch and makes Texas (and those other places) look worse than they really are. At least, this was the data as of 10 or 12 years ago when I last looked at it. 
Educating everyone isn’t way, especially when you have no control over the population you are educating. We do as good a job as can be expected in my opinion, recognizing as with any human endeavor improvement is always possible. 

[BradInATX 9208]

What an unnecessarily confrontational and terrible email (the RRISD one). If any employer in any industry sent an email like that I'd be looking for a change immediately or at my next available opportunity. Might as well have just written "WE ARE A TERRIBLE PLACE TO WORK" in 72pt red Comic Sans and saved everyone the trouble.

Edited July 10, 2020 by BradInATX

[smoky 842]

I heard Leander teachers who want to teach virtually will have to apply for that role.

It's sad, but makes sense. That's a different role, and not every teacher is good at it.

[Bartles 769]

I can see why people are framing the RR thing as a gun to the teachers' head. But one of the three "outs" that are offered are probably pretty achievable even for young, healthier teachers. And a bunch may actually want to quit anyway.

[Wulaw Horn 19599]

This distance learning thing seems like it’s being done wrong. Have one teacher be the distance instructor for all the kids in that grade in the entire district. The best person for it in the district. Then, assign other teachers 20 or 30 or 12 or however many students to follow up with, one on one, and check for comprehension and reinforce main lesson. Best of a bad situation imo. 

[ZB'Tejas 597]

Too many false negatives make spread highly likely.

Yet, that’s the plan for professional sports.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gardner Barnes 1579]

Yet, that’s the plan for professional sports.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No one is being paid to go to school - outside of Ohio State of course.

[GHOSTUSER 361]

4 hours ago, BradInATX said:

What an unnecessarily confrontational and terrible email (the RRISD one). If any employer in any industry sent an email like that I'd be looking for a change immediately or at my next available opportunity. Might as well have just written "WE ARE A TERRIBLE PLACE TO WORK" in 72pt red Comic Sans and saved everyone the trouble.

The school districts have the leverage and are using it. I’m pleasantly surprised they are being hardasses about it because getting kids back in school needs to be a priority. Those that resign can join the millions of others looking for work. It’s not as if their skill set is in high demand. I’d rather hire a hungry college grad than a teacher who decided to resign when they’re needed the most.

Edited July 11, 2020 by Iconoclast Texan

[BradInATX 9208]

 

 

 

The school districts have the leverage and are using it. I’m pleasantly surprised they are being hardasses about it because getting kids back in school needs to be a priority. Those that resign can join the millions of others looking for work. It’s not as if their skill set is in high demand. I’d rather hire a hungry college grad than a teacher who decided to resign when they’re needed the most.

 

This post is peak you. Shitting on teachers. Authoritarianism. Applying free market principles to a non free market. A lack of understanding of the nuance of and how the education system works. Simplifying complex things (just plug college kids in!). And generally applauding the people in charge being assholes. A distaste for the underclass. Well done.

 

[Murfdogg21 4574]

Some teacher friends do take their job/income for granted in a way other professions would not, especially during Covid times. I may not want to go to my job in the medical field every day out of fear, but my choice is to work or to quit. Nobody is going to pay me to sit on my couch and record two shitty 30 minute zoom calls a day. If they can’t or won’t provide quality teaching to the students, why should they be entitled to keep getting full pay? If the school districts are making special arrangements for the medically at risk employees, at least that is something, and more than many American workers are getting. 

[Js1 87286]

1 hour ago, BradInATX said:

 

 

 

 

 

This post is peak you. Shitting on teachers. Authoritarianism. Applying free market principles to a non free market. A lack of understanding of the nuance of and how the education system works. Simplifying complex things (just plug college kids in!). And generally applauding the people in charge being assholes. A distaste for the underclass. Well done.

 

A parody computer algorithm couldn’t have done a better job.  

[washparkhorn 9974]

For sake of comparison, Denver Public High Schools are allowing students/parents to choose at home or in-school learning for 20-21. I imagine if they have an uptick like Texas they can adjust and do periods all at home schooling. Colorado is not experiencing your uptick in Austin  

If attending Denver Public High School, these are the rules:

• Students and staff wearing masks;
• Students self-screening for fever/symptoms at home before they come to school; or
• Students being screened at School for fever/symptoms;
• Six feet of physical distancing within classrooms and learning spaces; 
• Clear plastic shields installed in office areas and other common school spaces; and or
• Installed in classrooms where six foot spacing cannot occur;
• Frequent handwashing times built into the day;
• Keeping the same students together in small groups as much as possible (cohort grouping) to limit exposure;
• Breakfast and Lunch occurring within classrooms;
• Structured passing periods that are staggered to limit cohort exposure;
• Reducing the number of students on school buses; and 
• ·Excluding large school assemblies or gatherings.

Denver is planning for the best and worst  Smart We don’t the answers to this virus - yet  

I believe all school districts should prepare for temporary closures with no interruption in the learning process. Those transitions between in-school and at-home learning need to be seamless so closures can be used whenever there is community outbreak. Denver has time on its side to prepare.  Austin doesn’t.  
 

 

Edited July 11, 2020 by washparkhorn

[atomheartbevo 90673]

2 hours ago, Gardner Barnes said:

No one is being paid to go to school - outside of Ohio State of course.

 

 

And South Dakota State University of Mines and Deaf Studies.   And Southwestern Mississippi School for Teachers.  Anytime an SEC school seems to be up to no good, it seems like those two universities are actually the ones paying their players.

[atomheartbevo 90673]

10 hours ago, Murfdogg21 said:

Everyone could wear a bubble boy transparent plastic suit. Might also cut down on teen pregnancy 

I don't know why, but I'm kicking around picking up a bunch of classes at ACC or doing some of the technical boot camps at UT, and they are all online (which is why I could do them, since I'm probably going to be watching our kids this fall when the schools shut down), but damnit, I want to wear the bubble boy suit.

Edited July 11, 2020 by atomheartbevo

[Gardner Barnes 1579]

7 hours ago, washparkhorn said:

For sake of comparison, Denver Public High Schools are allowing students/parents to choose at home or in-school learning for 20-21. I imagine if they have an uptick like Texas they can adjust and do periods all at home schooling. Colorado is not experiencing your uptick in Austin  

If attending Denver Public High School, these are the rules:

• Students and staff wearing masks;
• Students self-screening for fever/symptoms at home before they come to school; or
• Students being screened at School for fever/symptoms;
• Six feet of physical distancing within classrooms and learning spaces; 
• Clear plastic shields installed in office areas and other common school spaces; and or
• Installed in classrooms where six foot spacing cannot occur;
• Frequent handwashing times built into the day;
• Keeping the same students together in small groups as much as possible (cohort grouping) to limit exposure;
• Breakfast and Lunch occurring within classrooms;
• Structured passing periods that are staggered to limit cohort exposure;
• Reducing the number of students on school buses; and 
• ·Excluding large school assemblies or gatherings.

Denver is planning for the best and worst  Smart We don’t the answers to this virus - yet  

I believe all school districts should prepare for temporary closures with no interruption in the learning process. Those transitions between in-school and at-home learning need to be seamless so closures can be used whenever there is community outbreak. Denver has time on its side to prepare.  Austin doesn’t.  
 

 

This is very similar to what Eanes was going to try and do in Texas.  The task force worked their asses off to build a very comprehensive plan to return.

 

but politics.

[Anastasis 23717]

So apparently Abbott said in an interview that if any person in a school tested positive, the school would be shut down for five days. Haven’t seen that in any TEA materials so not sure where that is coming from. 

[smoky 842]

4 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

So apparently Abbott said in an interview that if any person in a school tested positive, the school would be shut down for five days. Haven’t seen that in any TEA materials so not sure where that is coming from. 

So... 2020-2021 will be virtual then because there's no way we go 5 days without a positive.  

That kind of unpredictability won't work for parents.

[Post Oak 20580]

25 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

So apparently Abbott said in an interview that if any person in a school tested positive, the school would be shut down for five days. Haven’t seen that in any TEA materials so not sure where that is coming from. 

Sounds like Abbott just cancelled school.

[Chet Steadman 940]

That makes little to no sense.  If true, every school in every metro in Texas will be on break by the last week of September.  

[Anastasis 23717]

Here is the quote and link.  WFAA site wouldn't let me cut and paste.  There is also video of the interview (@3:45 is the comment).

Pretty much solidifies that my family will start virtual rather than ping pong back and forth.  This is going to be a total clusterfuck.  We're all home schoolers now. 

 

LINK

 

Edited July 11, 2020 by Anastasis

[mdmost 44110]

Shitshow 2020 continues in the fall then. I think back to any time I've had to pick up one of my kids because they had a fever of 99+. So what happens when your kid gets a fever now if they attend in person. 14 days home from school unless you get their brain stabbed by a cotton swab? 

[smoky 842]

I dont think anyone has heard this yet, but what are private schools going to do?

They have a real incentive to figure out how to safely teach kids face-to-face in the Fall, whereas public schools can just ho-hum it and we're okay with it.

If a private school comes out and says "We're virtual this fall", enrollment will plummet and they'll be in a world of hurt financially.  They need butts in seats to keep operating.

No one is going to pay 15K a year to stare at a screen at home.  Although they might pay 30K to push out half the kids?

Any surly private school families hearing of plans for the fall?

 

[Dnaguy 12716]

8 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

I don't know why, but I'm kicking around picking up a bunch of classes at ACC or doing some of the technical boot camps at UT, and they are all online (which is why I could do them, since I'm probably going to be watching our kids this fall when the schools shut down), but damnit, I want to wear the bubble boy suit.

I can see why

 

 

[Dnaguy 12716]

1 hour ago, Anastasis said:

So apparently Abbott said in an interview that if any person in a school tested positive, the school would be shut down for five days. Haven’t seen that in any TEA materials so not sure where that is coming from. 

He’s just making shit up on the spot.

5 days? 
5 consecutive days?

5 straight business days?

and how are parents supposed to work around this as well.

If this is so we can all go back to work, how does this actually help anyone? 
All this is going to do is throw more uncertainty into this whole mess and put more people at risk.

[BrazilHorn 6855]

Absolutely no way am I sending my kids back to school this fall. If they will be shutting down and reopening over and over again, I would just as soon have them stay home and attend virtually. I will hire tutors etc to bridge any gaps (am fortunate to be able to do this)

If reason to close a school for 5 days is a positive test result you effectively will never have the school be open.

[usmc0331horn 1001]

17 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

(2) I don't want to fucking die

2b, don't want to watch any of your kids get sick or die.

[Red Six 131]

3 hours ago, Dnaguy said:

He’s just making shit up on the spot.

5 days? 
5 consecutive days?

5 straight business days?

and how are parents supposed to work around this as well.

If this is so we can all go back to work, how does this actually help anyone? 
All this is going to do is throw more uncertainty into this whole mess and put more people at risk.

It's in the TEA guidance that they released on Tuesday.

It's almost as if someone said, "Hey, come up with the most unworkable plan ever so we can throw in the towel and say, 'Well, we tried.'"

[Dnaguy 12716]

I don’t think it’s political to say this so please don’t ban me, but we have been completely failed by our state leadership.

They have no desire to come up with a solution and now throwing shit against the wall and hoping they get lucky and it sticks....

[used2b 249]

This so dumb.

[gsoda3 3362]

It's in the TEA guidance that they released on Tuesday.

Where do you see that? Only thing I saw was this...

Individuals Confirmed or Suspected with COVID-19

1. Any individuals who themselves either: (a) are lab-confirmed to have COVID-19; or (b)
experience the symptoms of COVID-19 (listed below) must stay at home throughout the
infection period, and cannot return to campus until the school system screens the individual
to determine any of the below conditions for campus re-entry have been met:
o In the case of an individual who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may
return to school when all three of the following criteria are met:
i. at least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever
without the use of fever-reducing medications);
ii. the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of
breath); and
iii. at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
o In the case of an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and who is not
evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual is
assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to the campus until the
individual has completed the same three-step set of criteria listed above.
o If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school
before completing the above stay at home period, the individual must either (a)
obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an
alternative diagnosis or (b) receive two separate confirmations at least 24 hours apart
that they are free of COVID via acute infection tests at an approved COVID-19 testing
location found at https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/.
Identifying Possible COVID-19 Cases on Campus
o Schools must immediately separate any student who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at
school until the student can be picked up by a parent or guardian.
o Schools should clean the areas used by the individual who shows COVID-19 symptoms while
at school (student, teacher, or staff) as soon as is feasible.
o Students who report feeling feverish should be given an immediate temperature check to
determine if they are symptomatic for COVID-19.





RESPOND: Practices to Respond to a Lab-Confirmed Case in the School
Required Actions if Individuals with Lab-Confirmed Cases Have Been in a School

1. If an individual who has been in a school is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19, the school must
notify its local health department, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws
and regulations, including confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

2. Schools must close off areas that are heavily used by the individual with the lab-confirmed
case (student, teacher, or staff) until the non-porous surfaces in those areas can be
disinfected, unless more than 3 days have already passed since that person was on campus.

3. Consistent with school notification requirements for other communicable diseases, and
consistent with legal confidentiality requirements, schools must notify all teachers, staff, and
families of all students in a school if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among
students, teachers or staff who participate on any on campus activities.

[Anastasis 23717]

24 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

Where do you see that? Only thing I saw was this...

 

Yeah, was about to post the exact same.  The 5 day close down was not in the TEA material I read, maybe there are others.  

[Dnaguy 12716]