PLANO, Texas — Plano ISD is offering a temporary virtual option for students from pre-K to 6th grade, according to a district announcement shared Monday. This asynchronous learning program is parent-led.
Children under 12 years old are still unable to be vaccinated. The district said this is an option for parents who are looking for an alternative to in-person learning.
The district said it is listening to families and the community "as they express health and safety concerns for the latest trends associated with the delta variant."
Parents can register for the Parent-Led Virtual Option using this form. Parents must register by 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 11.
The district said students will still be enrolled at their home campus and be assigned to their teacher, but they will not attend in person or have instruction or assignments delivered by their teacher.
Parents will serve as "learning coaches" to provide feedback and academic support to their children.
The campus will maintain enrollment and a seat in the classroom when students return face to face. Students in virtual learning will not be allowed to go back and forth between the parent-led virtual option or in-person.
After this selection period on Aug. 11, parents will not be able to opt their child into the virtual learning model. Parents may choose to have their child return to face-to-face learning at any time by notifying their child’s campus.
Parents and students will spend the first week of school, Aug. 11-13, to get familiar with the learning platforms and tools.
Virtual learning options in North Texas
On Thursday, the Texas Education Agency revealed new health guidance, which moves Texas schools further away from CDC guidance on how to safely have school in person.
This year, districts won’t have to tell parents or teachers about positive cases. Districts won’t have to contact trace, and if they do, parents can still send kids considered close contacts.
Austin ISD is offering virtual learning for kindergarten through 6th grade. The district has opened up applications for students outside the district.
Frisco ISD announced last week that it will have a temporary online learning option for EC-6th grades in the fall, citing "rapidly changing conditions related to COVID-19," the district said. The time to apply has already closed.