Dallas Schoolkids' Future In Class Is At A Virtual Standstill

DALLAS, TX —What will Lone Star Lawmakers do about putting kids back in classrooms this fall?

In the waning days of the current legislative session, many of the state's largest school districts are watching and waiting for an official path forward for virtual learning.

So far, their road forward remains full of potholes.

Districts large and small, including Frisco, Dallas and Fort Worth, have now co-signed a letter to the Senate Education Committee and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asking for clear guidance about learning at home before they can formulate plans for the '21-'22 school year.

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The session ends in less than two weeks, while two bills addressing virtual learning continue to languish in the halls of the Capital.

The letter pleads in part.,“Please do not let thousands of students miss out on an opportunity to engage with their education in the way that is most effective for them.”

Still unresolved: issues related to funding, which grade levels should or should not be included, and whether and how some districts could act independently.

There's general agreement that kids do better overall in three-dimensional classrooms (and learn important social skills at the same time), but some children have adapted well to virtual learning. Educators are now weighing whether kids should be taught in environments that best suit their individual needs.

Another factor that's muddying the waters is the big question of how many students will have been vaccinated by the time the new school year begins. That not only affects the parents who have to weigh the wisdom of sending their kids to an enclosed environment with other potential COVID-19 carriers, but child care and whether remote learning is a better option for their children.

At this point in the session, no one seems certain what actions, if any, the legislature will take.

Michael Hinojosa, the Dallas ISD Superintendent, says the advice he's getting is to request a waiver from the Texas Education Agency if the bills remain motionless.

According to laws currently on the books in Texas, only online programs in effect before 2013 can hold virtual classes full time without jeopardizing their funding. A waiver from Education Commissioner Mike Morath issued during last year's pandemic allowed virtual learning during the lockdown, but Morath's waiver expires at the end of the school year.

He too believes the legislature should step up with a longterm solution of its own.

To date, the House has passed GOP Rep. Keith Bell's bill granting districts authority to create full-time virtual schooling curriculum for grades three and up. The bill will get a hearing from the Senate Education Committee Friday.

Meanwhile, the Senate's version of a virtual learning bill has not yet been voted on, despite being tagged as a priority by Patrick.

Unresolved are issues of accountability, since virtual schools have typically met with mixed academic results. In addition, it's not at all clear if Texas students at the earliest stage of education should participate in virtual learning, how to address students with special needs, and how to deal with students who may live beyond a district's jurisdiction.

The one thing that does seem clear is that without a framework set in place by the state, educators will be in a free-for-all, with some wishing to accommodate at-home learning, and others offering no virtual learning options whatsoever.

The current legislative session ends May 31.

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