Superintendent of Schools

Quicklinks

Starting school based on safety and science - Aug. 6, 2020

08/06/2020

Dear SAISD Staff:

We have been working closely with the city and Metro Health to ensure our decision-making around starting school is being driven by safety and science, using the most current health data. They see our data-based decisions as aligning well with their health and safety recommendations, and this gives us reassurance we are on a safe path moving forward.

In consultation with Metro Health, we have developed health safety criteria to determine how we will advance to increased levels of student occupancy in our schools as local COVID-19 conditions improve over time. We are looking at implementing four levels of student occupancy, as outlined below – with one additional level than Metro Health.

Movement between levels is based on three statistics: The positivity rate in Bexar County (a lower rate is better), the number of days it takes for the local case count to double (a higher number of days is better), and whether numbers are trending upward, downward, or flattening based on data for a certain number of days.

Level 1 Red – No in-person learning
• Positivity rate is greater than 10%
• Doubling time is 12 days or less
• Not flattening or not a consistent downward trend in positive cases for at least 14 days

Level 2 Yellow – Up to 25% in-person learning
• Positivity rate of 10% or less
• Doubling time is 13-18 days or more
• A flattening of positive cases for at least 14 days

Level 3 Green – Up to 50% in-person learning
• Positivity rate of 5% or less
• Doubling time of greater than 18 days
• 14-day downward trend in positive cases or flat at a low level

Level 4 Blue – More than 50% in-person learning, phasing up to 100%
• To be determined in consultation with Metro Health

Note: Criteria may change over time based on Metro Health guidance adjustments.

When we determine the need to change levels, we will give at least one week’s notice and inform parents and staff. We also will utilize our website’s pop-up alert button and post on the Safe School Start Communications Hub.

Currently, we are in Level 1 Red and will start the school year on Aug. 17 with 100% remote learning. We anticipate moving to Level 2 Yellow sometime after Labor Day. In this phase, when we have up to 25% of students on campuses, the children who comprise in-person learning will be prioritized among those who will most benefit from it – such as students who are struggling academically or students who need services in the area of special education. Campuses will have the authority to engage families proactively and bring in small numbers of students with parental permission.

We expect Level 3 Green of up to 50% of in-person learning to become our new normal during the first semester. However, if we do not meet the criteria for this level as we near the conclusion of our eight weeks of flexibility granted by the Texas Education Agency, we will request a formal waiver from the state to continue at Level 1 Red or Level 2 Yellow.

Note that in Metro Health’s Green Zone, all students would be able to return, adhering to social distancing and mask requirements. However, at most of our campuses, if all students came back at this Level, we would not be able to achieve the current recommendations of social distancing – thus, we are limiting it to up to 50%.

Finally, we do not envision meeting criteria for Level 4 Blue – our uppermost tier of more than 50% of in-person learning and phasing up to 100% – until potentially at some point in our spring semester.

I will speak more about these levels and our plans to safely and slowly reopen our campuses tomorrow during my second livestream address. FAQs assembled from the July 14 livestream address have been uploaded to our employee portal, along with additional resources from the offices of Academics and Human Resources.

I look forward to welcoming back all teachers and staff over time. It may be a different start to the new year, but we know we will make the best of 2020-21.

Sincerely,
Pedro