TYLER, Texas — Tyler ISD has announced, effective immediately, the district will require all at-home learners to return to campus.
The district says the latest date students can return to campus is Monday, Nov. 2, which is the beginning of the third grading period.
More information can be found in the letter from Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford below (you can also read the letter on the Tyler ISD website by clicking here):
To the Parents and Guardians of Tyler ISD Students,
Our administration leadership team has been reviewing Learn@Home student academic performance, attendance data, and speaking with campus principals and teachers. Discussions revealed the concept of remote/online instruction has not been successful for the majority of our Learn@Home students and the added burden of a full-scale dual instructional system on our teachers is unsustainable. About 60% of our remote learners are failing one or more classes. Bottom-line: the Tyler community is challenged with a developing educational, social-emotional, nutritional, and economic crisis. It is time for all Tyler ISD students to come back for in-person, on-campus instruction.
We are moving in a direction that we feel is best for all Tyler ISD students and staff. Effective immediately, Tyler ISD requests all students return to school as soon as possible, or at the latest by Monday, November 2, 2020, which is the start of the 3rd grading period. This grace period has been established to allow parents of students affected by this decision time to evaluate educational options and determine what is best for their student.
As Texas compulsory education requirements allow, students who do not return to school will be considered truant and eventually unenrolled from the District.
It is the District’s belief that face-to-face instruction is and remains the best method for a child’s learning and social emotional growth. We want you to know that the District’s health and safety measures are working. This year our rate of positive COVID-19 cases has varied from .06% to .3%. All students and staff will be expected to follow our health and safety guidelines. Please note, all immunizations or exemptions must be current and on file with the school nurse prior to returning to campus.
Should you choose to pursue alternative means of education for your child, we wish you success beyond measure. Below is a partial list of alternative educational possibilities:
Transfer to another school district
Enroll in an online K-12 school
Withdraw to homeschool
For students who have a medical attestation from a M.D. or D.O., test positive for COVID-19, or have to quarantine because of the virus, a remote learning option will be available during that specified timeframe. Please contact your campus principal for more details.
We look forward to welcoming all of our Tyler ISD students back into the classroom.
Marty Crawford, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools