COVID's return sends Central Texas schools scrambling to add remote learning options

With COVID-19 cases from the dangerous delta variant surging, Central Texas school districts are scrambling to respond with only weeks left before classes begin. 

Most school districts canceled online classes earlier this year when the state announced that it would no longer fund students who are not physically present in classrooms. 

The delta variant, however, has changed the safety calculation, leading Pflugerville and Hays to become the latest local school districts to reverse course by adding remote learning options for students with health risks or those who can’t access vaccines — joining Austin, Round Rock and Leander in deciding to take on the cost of virtual learning programs.

Leander district officials committed to funding a limited virtual learning option in June, just as other districts began announcing they could not continue virtual programs without the state funding.

But the resurgence of COVID-19 cases — and Gov. Greg Abbott’s continued orders banning mask mandates — started a mad dash to respond by districts that were already grappling with pandemic-caused financial problems and the task of helping students recover from an unprecedented school year.

"This is back on us pretty suddenly. Everybody's trying to scramble and be creative," said Tim Savoy, a spokesman for the Hays school district.

Now, districts are altering their back-to-school plans and budgets to offer parents options to keep their kids out of classrooms while staying enrolled in the local school districts.

District officials still hope most students will return to classrooms, where masks will be encouraged, but they are creating virtual options and raising awareness of homebound services for students with health needs in response to calls from parents.

"We still believe that our classrooms are safe and the best place to learn for most of our students," Austin school district spokeswoman Cristina Nguyen said. "However, we also know that the vaccine isn't available to children under 12 yet."

Virtual learning

The Austin district, the largest local district, serving more than 74,000 students last year, added a virtual learning option for students in kindergarten through sixth grade, announcing the initial plans Monday and releasing more details Friday. 

"We were working day and night, making this plan come to reality and thinking of all the little details that could impact our teaching and learning, our food services, transportation, technology," Nguyen said.

The district plans to make the fall virtual learning program available to all interested students in the district, regardless of medical status, and will open it up to families outside of the district if capacity allows, Nguyen said. 

Students will be taught by separate teachers from those on campus, but they will remain connected to their schools to help them transition back to in-person classes after the fall.

Austin officials said they will lose $4,500 in state funding for each student enrolled in virtual learning for the fall, but Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde said the district wanted to respond to calls from parents and catch up to other school districts.

"We're trying to stay on the heels of what Round Rock ISD put out," Elizalde said at a Monday school board meeting.

The previous week, the Round Rock school district announced a virtual learning option for students not yet vaccinated. Round Rock’s K-6 option will also last through the fall semester, and participation is not currently being capped, spokeswoman Jenny LaCoste-Caputo said.

Officials in Austin and Round Rock told the American-Statesman they plan to use reserves to fund the virtual programs. School districts have been allotted federal coronavirus relief funds, and Round Rock also received some CARES Act funding from Williamson County.

"There were other resources of revenue that have been helpful, but it will still be a serious challenge," LaCoste-Caputo said.

On Thursday, the Pflugerville school district announced it will use $1 million from its federal relief funds and $1.6 million from local revenue to fund a virtual academy for one year.

The district is contracting education services company Pearson to provide virtual instruction for students in 285 spots. It will create one class of roughly 22 students per grade, district spokeswoman Tamra Spence said.

The virtual program is geared for students with documented medical issues, Pflugerville Superintendent Douglas Killian said in an email sent Wednesday to staff and parents.

Homebound services

Instead of continuing a full-time virtual learning program, the Hays school district is preparing to offer more students instruction at home. 

Under homebound instruction, students confined to their home or a hospital receive at least four hours of instruction per week from a public school teacher, and school districts can still receive state funding for the excused students.

To qualify for the program, students need a doctor's note indicating that they cannot attend school because of medical needs or concerns. 

Hays Superintendent Eric Wright said the district chose this alternative to virtual classes to avoid limiting remote learning to a few students. 

"Because we don't have a vaccine for those under 12 yet, we thought more people might need that particular option, so we wanted to stand up something that would not have a limit," he said.

In a typical school year, about 20 students in the district receive homebound services, but officials are encouraging more parents to consider the option if they have COVID-19 concerns.

They also hope this option will grant students more individual time with teachers to catch up from pandemic-caused disruptions last year. 

"We'll have basically an army of teachers that are assigned and go out and support these kids on a case-by-case basis, which will give them one-on-one face time instead of a collective group face time," Wright said.

While the district can still receive funding for students in the homebound academy, officials said the option could be costly because of the added need for certified teachers, depending on demand from families.

There is no definite deadline to sign up for homebound instruction, but officials are asking parents to fill out an intent form to plan for the fall.

The Austin district is also raising awareness of its homebound services for students with special health needs.

State limitations

The added costs for school districts such as Austin, which has struggled to balance its budget for several years, could have long-lasting ramifications.

"Without state funds, it's just hard to keep the same size staff," said Joy Baskin, director of legal services for the Texas Association of School Boards.

Early in the pandemic, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath issued waivers to let local school districts receive attendance-based funding for virtual classes, but new legislation limits the commissioner's authority to adjust attendance requirements to just one school year after a calamity or disaster.

To address rising concerns, state leaders could allow school districts to enforce COVID-19 precautions or explore other ways to count remote students toward a school's attendance, Baskin said.

"But as long as the Legislature, you know, doesn't have an opportunity to act, and as long as the governor has not changed his mind about school safety conditions, I think schools are really doing the best they can," she said. "They're finding creative solutions, trying to offer the safest possible environment."