Texas Tells Schools They Won’t Lose State Funding for Coronavirus Attendance Declines If They Maintain or Increase Rate of Students Learning In Person
In partnership with TexasTribune.org, this article announces that Texas will provide full funding to school districts that have experienced a decline in student attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the funding will be granted only if these districts maintain or increase the number of students learning in person. Superintendents have anxiously awaited this news as the switch to virtual learning has resulted in a statewide decrease of over 150,000 students between January 2019 and 2021. In Texas, public school funding is determined by student attendance, regardless of whether the learning format is in-person or virtual.
At present, 56% of Texas public school students are learning in person. Governor Greg Abbott expressed in a release that as more districts return to in-person instruction, they will not be financially penalized for declines in attendance caused by COVID-19. He believes that providing a hold harmless provision for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year is essential to support school systems, teachers, and the goal of getting more students back into classrooms.
According to the release, school districts will receive funding based on the number of students who attended before the pandemic. However, it remains unclear whether state or federal funds will cover these costs. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath discussed this matter with school superintendents during a call.
Last week, Texas public education witnessed two additional significant developments: school staff members became eligible for vaccines, and school boards were given the option to not require masks on campuses.
Initially, state leaders agreed to fund districts based on projected attendance numbers for the first 18 weeks of the academic year, rather than the actual student counts. However, as the deadline approached in mid-December, a decision on whether to extend this funding was delayed by Morath and other state leaders. State Senator Larry Taylor and others argued that extending the reprieve might result in school districts neglecting to find missing students.
Several factors have contributed to the decline in attendance, including student relocations to different districts or states, parents choosing to keep their young children at home in non-mandatory grades, and students being busy with work or becoming disengaged during these challenging times. Many school districts have dedicated significant resources to locate and engage students who are struggling with virtual learning, successfully convincing some parents to send their children back for in-person instruction.
A state survey revealed that between October and January, nearly 3,000 students returned to public schools. The largest increases were observed in pre-K and 11th grade, with approximately 4,500 more pre-K students enrolled and nearly 4,900 fewer high school juniors enrolled.
Morath assured districts that there are multiple ways to earn additional funding to counterbalance the decline in student numbers. One method is to ensure that on-campus participation rates for the remainder of the school year are as high as they were on October 30. He acknowledged that many districts have already taken steps in this direction and have put in considerable efforts to convince students to return to school.
The author of this article, Aliyya Swaby, is the public education reporter at the Texas Tribune. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, digital-first, nonpartisan media organization that provides information on public policy, politics, government, and statewide issues to Texans.
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