Return-to-School Resources

After dealing with campus closures due to COVID-19, Texas public schools will reopen for the 2020–21 school year, although options are available to delay on-campus instruction due to rising coronavirus cases.

Operation Connectivity

TASB Legal Services' memo Operation Connectivity Bulk Order Program (pdf) answers questions about the need for board authorization to pursue a bulk purchase of technology under Operation Connectivity. The memo includes a Sample Notice/Agenda: Board Meeting by Videoconference or Telephone Call for Operation Connectivity Bulk Order Program (docx) in an editable word format.

State and national guidelines

• Texas Education Agency's (TEA) Guidelines for a Safe Return to On-Campus Instruction: Addresses on campus and virtual instruction, responding to and mitigating spread, wearing masks, transportation, and more.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) COVID-19 Guidelines for Schools: Provides detailed information for school leaders on preparing for a safe return to the classroom, operating schools during the pandemic, and more. 

TASB's return-to-school podcast

• TASB Talks, Episode 36: Return to School, Part I: Joy Baskin, division director of TASB Legal Services discusses the legal challenges and implications as public schools prepare for the new year in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Get details on TEA's guidelines on in-person and virtual learning, extracurricular activities, and the processes for managing outbreaks as they arise.
• TASB Talks, Episode 37: Return to School, Part II: Amy Campbell, division director of TASB HR Services, talks about the challenges of district staff returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. She answers common district questions, like: Do teachers have a choice in returning to the classroom? If a staff member is exposed to COVID-19, what are the next steps? How will daily screenings work? Should schools be preparing contact tracing teams?

Health and safety

• TEA's Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Update: Provides details on PPE, including masks, gloves, thermometers, and hand sanitizer, that will be distributed to Texas school districts in the fall.
• TASB Risk Management Fund’s Get the Most Value from Respiratory Protection During the Pandemic: Trains staff on understanding limitations of personal protective equipment and how to use it properly.
• TASB Risk Management Fund’s COVID-19 and Mental Health: A Q&A with Amy Grosso, PhD: Shares tips on managing stress and anxiety during the pandemic and helping students cope.  
• CDC's Posters to Promote Handwashing: Offers free, printable posters to place in highly-visible areas to promote good hygiene.
• TASB HR Services’ CDC COVID-19 Posters and Posting Locations: Gives guidance on CDC posters and suggestions for where they should be displayed in schools.
   

Operations

Academic calendar

• TEA's Changing School Start Dates for 2020–21: Reviews options for districts wanting to change their school start date.
• TASB Legal Services' Changing the Academic Calendar in Light of COVID-19: Provides information on options for changing the academic calendar to expand instructional time. 
• TASB Policy Service's Extension of Start-of-School Transition Period (pdf): Provides a resolution for districts that need to extend the start-of-year transition period beyond the first four weeks of the instructional calendar.

General operations

• TASB HR Services’ Screening Staff, Students, and Visitors for COVID-19: Addresses TEA's daily screening requirement.
• TASB HR Services’ Contact Tracing Teams and Epidemic Response in Schools: Presents considerations for implementing a contact tracing team.
• ​TASB HR Services' Sample Recent Travel Reporting Forms: Guides schools on managing employee exposure to COVID-19.
• TASB HR Services' Return-to-Work Preparation: Helps districts plan for a phased return for staff, exposure response plans, communicating with employees, and more. 
• American Academy of Pediatrics' Guidance for School Re-entry: Suggests planning guidelines for schools when creating re-opening procedures.
   

Personnel issues

General HR guidance

• TASB HR Services' Addressing COVID-19 Exposure: Offers guidance on addressing employee exposure to COVID-19, including determining leave time and return-to-work protocol.
• TASB HR Services' COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions Part 2 and COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions Part 3: Answer common questions related to leave and returning to school, including:
  • Can an employee be exempt from wearing a face mask due to a health condition?
  • Is remaining at home an option for an employee who has a high-risk health factor?
  • Are there limitations on staff returning to the workplace?
• ​​TASB HR Services’ ADA Interactive Process and COVID-19: Reviews the process for identifying a reasonable accommodation including supervisor roles, accommodations, and other considerations.
• TASB HR Services’ Optimizing Staff for Safe Student Learning: Offers suggestions for how employees can be flexible and ensure the health, safety, and learning progress of students.
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• TASB Risk Management Fund’s Six Common Questions about Coronavirus and Workers’ Compensation: Answers frequently asked questions about workers’ compensation coverage and COVID-19.
• TASB HR Services’ Pregnancy and COVID-19: Offers guidance on the heightened risk for pregnant women and how to accommodate pregnancy-related medical conditions.
• TASB HR Services' DHS Flexibility for Reviewing I-9 Documentation: Gives the relaxed requirements for reviewing employment authorization documents.
• TASB HR Services' EEOC Guidance on Medical Inquiries During a Pandemic: Lists steps employers can take to protect staff and students from the spread of COVID-19.

Leave

• Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Leave Administration Flowchart: Helps determine leave eligibility and resulting actions for employees requesting leave due to COVID-19-related reasons.
• TASB HR Services’ The Challenges of FFCRA Management: Guides districts through the technical requirements of the FFCRA.
• TASB HR Services' Verifying Employee Requests for FFCRA Leave: Advises districts on validating leave requests related to FFCRA and includes a link to the FFCRA leave request form.
• TASB Legal Services' Personnel Provisions in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (pdf): Summarizes the Emergency Paid Sick Leave and the Emergency Family Leave Expansion provisions of the FFCRA.
• TASB HR Services’ DOL Required Posters for Emergency Federal Leave: Instructs employers on required worksite posters regarding the FFCRA.
• TASB HR Services’ Emergency FMLA and Paid Leave: Gives details on new laws extending Family and Medical Leave.

Remote work

• TASB HR Services’ Employee Travel and Return to Work: Offers recommendations for handling the return-to-work process for employees who have traveled.
• TASB HR Services' Modifying the Teacher Job Description for Remote Instruction: Outlines what to think about when updating teacher job descriptions to include remote work.
• TASB HR Services’ Remote Teacher Selection: Provides suggestions for a successful remote selection process. 
• TASB Risk Management Fund’s Keep Virtual Meetings Private During the Pandemic: Discusses how to protect virtual meetings.
• TASB Risk Management Fund’s Cybercriminals Look to Cash in on Coronavirus: Guides districts in training employees on identifying phishing attacks and cyber scams.
• TASB HR Services’ HR Considerations When Employees Are Working Remotely and Communicating Remote Work Expectations: Deal with HR issues related to working from home.
• TASB Risk Management Fund’s Work at Home Safely during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Gives tips and best practices for working safely and effectively from home.
• TASB HR Services’ Benefits of Remote Work Arrangements: Explores considerations and benefits of allowing district staff to work from home. 

Remote instruction

• TEA's Attendance and Enrollment FAQ: Instructs districts on how to calculate and report attendance and enrollment for the two remote instruction options—synchronous and asynchronous.
• TEA's Preparing for Remote Instruction: Outlines details related to:
  • The COVID slide
  • Determining daily attendance
  • Remote instruction methods
• TASB Legal Services' FAQ about Remote Instruction: Addresses legal issues districts may encounter when implementing a virtual or remote instruction program. 
• Texas Home Learning: TEA's website that provides at-home learning tools to help parents, teachers, and administrators deliver educational resources. 
   

Student and extracurricular issues

• TASB Policy Service's Limiting Interdistrict Transfer Students to All-Remote Instruction (pdf): Provides a resolution for districts to require nonresident transfer students to be served remotely for the entire school year.
• TASB Policy Service’s Getting a Resolution to Assist Districts that Wish to Exclude Students Receiving All-Remote Instruction from Extracurricular Activities and Certain Elective Courses (pdf)
• TASB Policy Service’s Resolution to Address UIL Waivers (docx) of preparticipation and Physical Examination Requirements (pdf): Updates schools on adjusting preparticipation physical examinations for the 2020–21 school year.

Updated August 10, 2020, 10:55 a.m.