AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Texas education officials on Tuesday announced guidance for schools across the state relating to graduations for the Class of 2020.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath made the announcement during a press conference with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. "Graduation ceremonies mark a major milestone for students and their families," Morath said. "All educators are committed first and foremost to ensuring the health and safety of our students, families, and staff. By taking the necessary precautions developed by medical experts, we can ensure we appropriately honor our Class of 2020 graduates while keeping everyone safe."
There are four different pathways TEA is providing for schools to celebrate their graduating seniors:
- A completely virtual ceremony that takes place entirely online, with the use of videoconferencing or other technologies,
- A hybrid ceremony, which consists of a compilation of videos of students being recognized in person as they celebrate graduation in small groups,
- A vehicle ceremony, in which students and families wait in their cars while other graduates are recognized one at a time with their families alongside them,
- Outdoor, in-person ceremonies, under the following restrictions:
- A rural county that has attested to having 5 or fewer active cases of COVID-19 per Gov. Greg Abbott's April 27 statewide order can hold an outdoor, in-person ceremony between May 15 and May 31.
- On or after June 1, an outdoor ceremony can take place in any Texas county.
Full details on the guidance is available on the TEA website here.
