The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we do business and education almost overnight with companies and schools shifting a year ago to remote work and learning.
As coronavirus vaccines roll out across the country, many businesses are considering a post-pandemic hybrid workforce approach with employees splitting time between the office and work from home.
Schools are also continuing their new embrace of technology as Houston-area school districts are announcing plans for the 2021-22 school year that feature remote learning and virtual campus options.
“We are looking beyond COVID-19 and identifying the successful attributes of an online education,” said Clear Creek ISD superintendent Eric Williams in a statement announcing Clear Connections Virtual School, the district’s first full-time virtual school for students in all grades starting in 2021-22. “Clear Connections Virtual School will be a destination for families who love Clear Creek ISD but also enjoy the flexibility an online platform offers.”
State Funding Key to Local Schools Online Learning Plans
The Houston metropolitan area’s two largest school districts, Houston ISD and Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, both want to offer online learning components in 2021-22, but that availability depends on if the Texas state legislature will continue to provide funding for virtual classes.“
The virtual campus plan is contingent upon the Texas Legislature adopting specific legislation to permit and fund remote learning for the 2021-2022 school year,” Cypress-Fairbanks ISD said in a press release. “In the event this does not occur, CFISD will not be able to open the virtual school and applicants will be notified.”
Houston’s second largest school district, Cypress-Fairbanks, wants to offer virtual schooling to incoming fourth- through 12th-grade students with no tuition fees and completely virtual schoolwork and lessons.
“When the in-person instructional school model was disrupted due to the pandemic, some students thrived in a virtual environment,” Linda Macias, chief academic officer, said during a board meeting May 10. “The Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Virtual School would offer these learners a chance to continue thriving in an enhanced platform offered by the district.”
Houston ISD Makes Online Changes for Students, Teachers
The Houston area’s largest school district, Houston ISD, plans to offer online-only classes to families that want them in 2021-2022, but will no longer require teachers to teach both virtual and in-person classes at the same time.
“Our teachers teaching simultaneously has been extremely difficult this year, and we cannot continue to go on in that manner for the next school year,” HISD interim superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “That’s what will look different. The option will be there, but we need to have teachers teaching in one mode.”
The Houston area’s largest school district, Houston ISD, plans to offer online-only classes to families that want them in 2021-2022, but will no longer require teachers to teach both virtual and in-person classes at the same time.
“Our teachers teaching simultaneously has been extremely difficult this year, and we cannot continue to go on in that manner for the next school year,” HISD interim superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “That’s what will look different. The option will be there, but we need to have teachers teaching in one mode.”
Like Cypress-Fairbanks, Houston ISD can only go ahead with remote learning plans if funding from the state continues.
Grenita said the school district, which had about 56 percent of its students still learning remotely as of February 2021, hopes to bring as many kids as possible back to the classroom but will offer families an online-only option.
Other Houston Area School Districts 2021-2022 Plans
Here is a look at the other large Houston area school districts, all which will offer in-class education, remote learning plans for the upcoming school year:
- Conroe ISD: Plans to have virtual schooling for students in grades three through nine for the first year before expanding it to grades 10-12. Superintendent Curtis Null said, “despite classes being virtual, the goal will be to have this function like any other school in CISD, and if a student transfers to another school for in-person learning, they will be on track to keep up with other students.” The virtual school will have full-time teachers and in-classroom teachers will not be asked to also do remote learning.
- Fort Bend ISD: Plans to offer an exemption-based, virtual learning program for students in pre-K through 12th grade next school year. The program will include both synchronous and asynchronous learning. The virtual program is for students deemed at-risk for COVID-19.
- Humble ISD: Announced that parents of students’ pre-K through fifth grade will have the choice this coming school year of in-class or online learning.
- Katy ISD: Is discussing plans for Katy ISD Virtual High (VHS), a stand-alone virtual high school with favorable interest show by parents in a recent survey. “I am confident that we have a course framework with the Katy Virtual School model that would allow us to deliver an excellent education model to those students and families who would like a virtual high school option,” said superintendent Dr. Ken Gregorski.
- Klein ISD: Announced a new “tuition-free” virtual school called Klein Virtual Academy (KVA) for 4th through 12th graders. KVA will replace the current Klein Online virtual learning option.
- Spring ISD: Hopes to offer third through 12th graders the option of a full-time virtual academy next year if there is funding and enough interest. “We know that online learning has really been a great fit for some families, so we’re looking at offering a virtual academy for students who really throve in this learning environment,” superintendent Rodney E. Watson said in a release.
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