Two North Texas school districts are offering some students the chance to start the new school year online instead of on-campus. The Plano ISD and Richardson ISD have announced they will allow students through the 6th grade to sign up for the temporary online programs. Kids under the age of 12 are not eligible for any of the available COVID-19 vaccines.
Richardson ISD Superintendent Dr. Jeannie Stone posted a message online to parents of younger kids who have expressed their concern about having them return to the classroom this fall.
Listen to your favorite News/Talk station now on Audacy.
"You have shared that you do not feel that you have a safe option for your child's education," Dr. Stone said. "We hear you."’
For the Richardson ISD, students who sign up for the online option will begin school on Monday, August 23rd. Students attending class in person will return to campus Tuesday, August 17th. The online option in the Richardson ISD is available for students in kindergarten through 6th grade. The enrollment period begins on Tuesday, August 10th at noon and runs through Friday, August 13th at noon.
Parents will receive an e-mail from the district with enrollment instructions. In addition, the district is offering more information about the program on its website.
The Richardson ISD will assign teachers to handle the online learning program. Teachers will not have to teach online classes at the same time as their in-person classes.
Related
The Plano ISD is offering a similar program, although there will be some differences in how the instruction is handled. The Plano ISD's program will be available for students in pre-kindergarten through 6th grade.
Parents in the Plano ISD who enroll their students in the online option will be required to serve as their child's "Home Learning Coach." Students will have access to educational material from the district, but it will be up to parents to set up their child's daily schedule and ensure they complete their assignments. Plano ISD students will continue to be enrolled at their normal school campus but will not interact with teachers there. Students in Plano's online program will be marked absent with an explanation of "excused virtual absence."
Enrollment in the Plano ISD's Parent-Led Virtual Option started Monday and runs through midnight on Wednesday, August 11th.
Both the Plano ISD and the Richardson ISD indicate their programs are intended to be temporary.
Related
