Several Dallas-area school districts close indefinitely due to coronavirus
Dallas Independent School District will close indefinitely to try and curb the spread of coronavirus, the district announced Monday.
All 230 schools will close to approximately 157,000 students due to COVID-19.
“While our classrooms are empty, our work on behalf of children continues,” the district said in a statement.
The district will use at-home learning and distribute meals at select campus locations.
Richardson ISD, Highland Park ISD also announced school closures Monday. The Richardson district, which has 55 campuses, will start providing at-home lessons on Wednesday and is working on meal services.
Highland Park district plans to reassess by April 5 when campuses might reopen, based on guidance from the CDC, local health agencies and the Texas Education Agency, the district said. Staff will receive training and support for teaching students through virtual platforms.
“This is truly an extraordinary time, and it has brought challenges for our system of education unlike anything we have ever seen,” HPISD Superintendent Dr. Tom Trigg said. “While our buildings may be closed to students to maintain social distancing, our goal is to keep students engaged in learning in a number of ways. Our team has been working diligently to develop plans to ensure ongoing learning experiences.”
Cedar Hill ISD, which has about 7,790 students, canceled school until March 23.
The Fort Worth school district announced Friday morning that schools will remain closed for at least two weeks starting Monday, when children were supposed to return from spring break. The closure could be extended depending on the threat of COVID-19, according to a message posted on the district’s website.
As of late Monday, 35 states and the District of Columbia had decided to close public schools due to coronavirus, according to data collected by Education Week.
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 5:35 PM.
