See also “Coronavirus Update” in this issue

Other Coronavirus News


Fiscal Cliff Worries
The Houston Chronicle reported (Dec. 3) that Texas districts that are losing enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic are facing a so-called “fiscal cliff” — a significant drop in state funds starting in January — unless the TEA or state lawmakers act to continue the so-called “hold harmless” funding levels currently in place.

The current hold harmless guarantee ends Dec. 31.

The Chronicle quoted officials from a sampling of districts in the Houston area that projected their potential lost state revenues, such as $20 million for Aldine ISD and $14 million for Pasadena ISD.

The Texas Association of School Business Officials told the Chronicle that schools statewide have lost 4-to-5 percent of their expected enrollments — with some districts seeing no impact on their enrollment and other districts experiencing enrollment declines as high as 10-to-15 percent.

Note: The printed issue of TEN incorrectly attributed the source of the information in this article to the Texas Tribune.

Crisis Codes
The TEA announced (Dec. 3) that due to a need to keep better track of the numbers of students who are being instructed via various instructional arrangements (on campus, remotely, or a combination of both) that it has added new crisis codes to be reported via the Texas Student Data System (TSDS)/PEIMS) to the TEA in February and April.

The additional data will help to inform policy makers, the announcement says.

Home Schooling Surge
The Texas Home School Coalition (THSC) reported that parents are using the coalition’s system to generate letters to automatically withdraw their children from public schools at a fast pace. In July 2019, THSC processed 201 withdrawals. In July 2020, THSC processed 3,114 withdrawals, a 15-fold increase.

“COVID-19 has contributed a lot, probably, not just in Texas but nationwide, to home schooling numbers in general,” THSC spokesperson Stephen Howsley told Education Daily Wire (Dec. 3).

The coalition recently unveiled a new interactive tool that details home school withdrawals from Texas public schools since 1997.

SBOE Members Test Positive
The Texas Tribune reported (Dec. 8) — see also followup article (Dec. 11) — that at least three State Board of Education (SBOE) members have tested positive for coronavirus within two weeks following the board’s recently concluded four-day in-person meeting in Austin.

One of those identified was Georgina C. Pérez, D-El Paso, who confirmed she tested positive after feeling ill on Thanksgiving day. The names of the other two board members who reported they tested positive have not been identified by the Tribune as of TEN’s press time.

The board met in person, but took public testimony virtually, with only board members and TEA support staff and a few others physically present — (except for board member Aicha Davis, D-Dallas, who participated remotely). None of the support staff who were present tested positive, SBOE Chair Keven Ellis, R-Lufkin, told the Tribune.