Houston Republic

As many Texas public school students struggle with remote learning, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath announced that school districts can mandate they return to classrooms.

On Nov. 5, Morath said if a student has a class average of 70 or below, or at least three unexcused absences, they can be brought back to school. Only 38% of the 5.5 million Texas students returned to class this fall, meaning 3 million are trying to successfully learn at home.

Many are failing, however, and some districts are lowering their standards to gift passing grades to students. 

Tera Collum | Submitted

Morath decided to try another path – getting more kids into schools.

Districts, which can make guidelines less demanding, are required to give parents two weeks' notice of the need to return their child to the classroom. Parents can appeal.

Travis Institute of Educational Policy Executive Director Tera Collum said it’s an option that districts should consider.

“I think it depends on the state of the virus lockdowns and the amount of spread,” Collum told Houston Republic. “Luckily most schools are open for students with a virtual option for parents to choose. I do not know a district that is strictly virtual. It is the parents that make the decision for students to return to the classroom or stay virtual.”

She said students can succeed while learning at home, but they must have parent and teacher support. The students also need to focus on their assignments, Collum said.

“Teachers must really work with parents to get the work done,” she said. “If students are not doing well with virtual then I think it would be good to bring them back to the classroom. They definitely need to be held accountable for their grades. The decision to work virtually is the parents’, so they must make sure that the students are doing the work. Learning then must become a stronger partnership between teacher, parents and the student to make sure that the student is understanding the content.”

She said she understands what the TEA is trying to accomplish. Collum said if they are not getting their schoolwork done, it “makes sense to send them back to school.”

Melissa Martin, an Innovative Teachers of Texas board member, said this should be a family decision. If they want their child to attend school in person, it should be allowed.

“This should be their parent’s choice,” Martin told Houston Republic. “It should not be a government entity forcing students to stay home.”

Martin, a career and technology teacher for the Deer Park Independent School District, is also ITT’s treasurer. She has served on the Texas Commission on Public School Finance, and serves as a board member for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

Martin said the Deer Park ISD sets standards that students must meet to continue remote learning.

“In our district, the students have a contract, so if their grade falls below passing they are expected to return to face-to-face instruction,” she said. 

Martin said educators have multiple views on the issue.

“There are conflicting ideas,” she said. “Many of us are eager to cancel remote learning.”

Collum said it’s a very difficult time for the men and women in the classrooms.

“Teachers are overworked, stressed and are suffering from anxiety from this,” she said. “Many are scared that they will contact COVID or their family will. Like I said, most districts are doing some form of in-person school and virtual school, so they are dealing with all of the stress from that. No one knows if a district will totally shut down and go back to virtual learning and the fear of that unknown is causing a lot of stress for teachers.”