• Facebook

What's On In Austin

Things to do in Austin

  • Home
  • Activities
    • Golf Clubs
    • Fitness & Gyms
    • Guided Tours
  • Places to Stay
  • Eat & Drink
  • Attractions
    • Bullock Texas State History Museum
    • French Legation Museum
    • Museum of the Weird
  • Beauty & Spa
  • Local Services
    • Shopping
    • Car Rentals
    • Dental Care
  • Properties
  • Map
  • News
Austin News & Events
Camiba Art: Exhibition featuring William T. Carson & Rebecca Rothfus Harrell
Austin’s Hottest New Hotel Has a Lakefront Infinity Pool
“What’s on in Austin” is the ‘go to’ website, packed with information for residents and visitors, to make your time in Austin an enjoyable. Great ideas on what to do and see, the best places to eat and stay, attractions, events, news and more…
Home Austin News

AISD Decides: Back-to-School Means On Campus, In Person, No Virtual Learning

June 18, 2021

District cites funding fears after Lege’s failure to act

By Clara Ence Morse, 1:30PM, Fri. Jun. 18, 2021

When summer vacation ends and Austin ISD students go back to school, they will indeed return “to” school, on campus, for in-person classroom instruction. The district announced today, June 18, it will not offer a virtual learning option this fall.

The decision came amidst ongoing uncertainty over Texas schools’ ability to receive full state funding for virtual instruction. “The district had been weighing its options after the failure of House Bill 1468, which would have allowed some virtual learning,” AISD leaders wrote in the district’s announcement. “However, with cases continuing to decline in Austin/Travis County and across the country, AISD officials decided conditions will be safe enough for all students to return in August.”

Austin and other ISDs spent much of the spring advocating for HB 1468, which would have ensured that school districts receive funding for students who took remote classes. However, the bill failed to pass the Texas Senate on the last day of the session, in the aftermath of House Democrats’ walkout to break quorum and prematurely end the session to prevent Senate Bill 7, the controversial “election integrity” measure, from passing. The failure of HB 1468, which ultimately rests on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, means that unless Education Commissioner Mike Morath granted a waiver, districts would receive no funding for student attendance in virtual classes.

Some districts, including Dallas ISD, have individually announced plans to dip into their own funds to continue virtual instruction, but other large Central Texas districts had preceded AISD in ruling out virtual learning for the fall. Yesterday, dozens of districts wrote a letter encouraging Gov. Greg Abbott to add virtual learning legislation to the call for an upcoming special session. “To be clear, the vast majority of students are better suited to an in-person environment, but there are thousands of students across the state of Texas who thrive in a virtual environment,” the letter read.

Although mask mandates in schools won’t be allowed, thanks to an Abbott executive order, AISD will be “strongly encouraging” the unvaccinated to mask on campus. With increasing vaccination rates — including an expected rollout of vaccines to children under 12 this fall — and compliance with health guidelines, Chief of Schools Anthony Mays said, “we’re confident we can safely reopen to all our students.”

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for almost 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE

More Austin ISD


AISD: No Classes Until April 3, Preparing for Distance Learning
AISD: No Classes Until April 3, Preparing for Distance Learning

Schools to provide curbside meals at 14 sites amid COVID-19 concerns

Beth Sullivan, March 16, 2020


Paul Cruz to Step Down as Austin Schools Chief
Paul Cruz to Step Down as Austin Schools Chief

Superintendent to join UT faculty after eventful AISD tenure

Austin Sanders, Feb. 19, 2020

More by Clara Ence Morse


Graduations Presage AISD's Return to In-Person Learning
Graduations Presage AISD’s Return to In-Person Learning

As COVID-19 case counts drop and vaccination rates rise, the district looks to the fall

June 11, 2021


City Seeks to Break the Rich, White
City Seeks to Break the Rich, White “Historic” Mold

Applicants wanted for equity-focused preservation workgroup

June 11, 2021

KEYWORDS FOR THIS POST

Austin ISD, virtual learning, state funding, in person instruction, Anthony Mays, Mike Morath, HB 1468

Please enable JavaScript to view comments.

SHARE TWEET PIN SHARE
  • Previous post
  • Next post

Related Posts

  • Lord Buffalo Drummer Yamal Said, a Legal U.S. Resident, Detained by Border Patrol
  • Mangy Puppy Dodges Euthanasia, Travels to Austin, Loves Cheese
  • “Economic Censorship”: The Devastation of the NEA Grants Cut Grows
  • Arts Groups Lose Promised Grant Money in Friday Night NEA Massacre
  • After Six Years in Jail, Charges Dropped Against Devonte Amerson
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • News & Events

Copyright © 2021 *** What's On in Austin.net *** All Rights Reserved *** View our Privacy Policy and Disclaimer
*** Part of the "WhatsOnIn"***