TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — On Monday, the Lake Travis Independent School District board voted to approve a Texas Education Agency waiver that allows the district to extends virtual learning for some students for an additional four weeks, according to a reporter for KVUE's partners at the Austin American-Statesman.
Prior to the board's meeting on Monday, it wasn't clear what the district's next step would be. Options included allowing unlimited in-person learning starting on Sept. 8, starting in-person learning at just 25% capacity or continuing with all-virtual learning until mid-October.
At the meeting, parents let the district know that they aren't happy with all the uncertainty.
"Life isn't always safe. There are risks in life. You mitigate that the best you can, but you don't lock yourself in a bubble and not live," one parent said.
"I told my kids they're going back to school and now I'm going to tell them, 'I'm sorry, the school district was lying to you,'" another parent said. "This has to stop. Make a decision. Stick with it."
According to the Statesman reporter, under the approved waiver, pre-K to fifth-grade students are allowed to return to campuses on Sept. 8, if their family selected in-person learning. Sixth and ninth graders, special education students and children of Lake Travis ISD employees will also be allowed, if selected, to return to campuses on Sept. 8. All other students who selected in-person learning will return to campuses on Sept. 21.