At The Texas Tribune Festival, Clay Jenkins and Lina Hidalgo, both Democrats, said local officials and health experts stepped into a leadership vacuum left by state and federal leaders.
Reopening Texas Schools
Texas teachers, parents, school administrators and public health officials have sought clarity on how the state will reopen K-12 schools safely as coronavirus infections and deaths rise throughout the state. Educators and families are rethinking their back-to-school plans after weeks of confusion and conflicting statements. For the latest news on this topic, sign up for our weekly education newsletter and follow education reporter Aliyya Swaby on Twitter.
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Reopening Texas Schools
Absent widespread testing, Texas schools have limited tools to prevent coronavirus spread
Coronavirus cases are inevitable as Texas schools reopen. The challenge for administrators will be preventing large-scale outbreaks.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Analysis: With schools opening, Texas enters a critical two weeks of the pandemic
Texas is poised right now as it was in late April: COVID-19 numbers are moving in the right direction, and reopenings — schools this time — are underway. Everyone’s hoping for a different result this time.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas coronavirus hospitalizations are at a two-month low, but school reopenings pose new risks
After a late July peak, the number of statewide coronavirus hospitalizations has fallen from about 11,000 per day to about 4,500. Children who are infected are less likely to be hospitalized.
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Reopening Texas Schools
As the school year begins online, thousands of Texas students are being left out of virtual learning
One Central Texas superintendent estimated that up to 7,000 students in his district struggled to access virtual learning, and new iPads are not likely to arrive before October. In South Texas, students share computers, phones and spotty internet with siblings.
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Coronavirus in Texas
“We’re all holding our breath”: Health experts on school reopenings in Texas
The Texas Tribune spoke to experts about what the state can expect as schools and universities start school remotely or in person.
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Reopening Texas Schools
Special education students lost crucial help when the pandemic hit. Texas schools are still struggling to restore it.
Ten percent of Texas public school students need special education resources, and many were left stranded when schools closed abruptly in the spring. Educators and parents face challenges again this fall reconnecting kids with the therapists and specialists they need.
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Reopening Texas Schools
Texas schools must file weekly reports with state on COVID-19 cases
Starting Sept. 8, Texas education officials will require all school districts to fill out forms weekly reporting new cases, including whether the infections occurred on or off campus and if the campus closed as a result.
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Reopening Texas Schools
Here’s how education in Texas looks as public schools begin reopening with mostly online classes
As schools across the state begin fall instruction, most students will learn from home for at least the first three weeks. That means getting supplies and food to students and finding creative ways to hold their attention.
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Coronavirus in Texas
For this working mom, the risk of her son contracting coronavirus outweighs the need for him to be in class
Amy Mason says there are just too many unknowns for her to feel comfortable sending her 4-year-old to school at this point. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast.